


Down in the Dungeons

by Ra_chelB



Category: Bohemian Rhapsody (Movie 2018), Dungeons & Dragons - All Media Types, Queen (Band)
Genre: Action/Adventure, Adventure & Romance, Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Comedy, Druid Elf Brian May, Dungeons and Dragons, Established Relationship, Eventual Relationships, Fantasy, Fictional Religion & Theology, Fluff and Hurt/Comfort, Found Family, Hurt/Comfort, Magic, Mention of Death, Mention of blood, Monsters, Multi, Mythical Beings & Creatures, No Dungeons & Dragons Knowledge Required, Non-Explicit Sex, Non-Graphic Smut, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Paladin Dwarf Roger Taylor, Religious Discussion, Warlock Tiefling Freddie Mercury, Wizard Human John Deacon, dnd, fantasy based on dnd mechanics
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-02-07
Updated: 2021-02-05
Packaged: 2021-02-27 23:21:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 14
Words: 77,604
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22573960
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ra_chelB/pseuds/Ra_chelB
Summary: In a world surrounded by magic and creatures, four misfits meet each other to form a weird group of brave adventurers.They'll find love, fight enemies and monsters, save cities and become the most famous heroes their land has ever seen!AKA the Dungeons and Dragons Queen AU no one asked for. You won't need any knowledge about Dnd to read this, a simple basic knowledge of fantasy is enough!
Relationships: Anita Dobson/Brian May, Brian May/Chrissie Mullen (mentioned), Dominique Beyrand/Roger Taylor, Jim Hutton/Freddie Mercury, John Deacon & Brian May & Freddie Mercury & Roger Taylor, John Deacon/Veronica Tetzlaff, Mary Austin/Freddie Mercury (mentioned)
Comments: 206
Kudos: 205





	1. The Healer and the kind stranger

**Author's Note:**

> Hi everyone! This is a bit of an experiment, it's been a while since I wanted to write a Queen DnD AU and probably this is going to take longer than I can imagine, but let's give it a try.  
> The first chapters will be the characters' introductions, to see what are they doing now and have a glimpse of backstories and personalities. Then they'll meet and form what's called a "party" to travel and have various adventures.  
> The main party is formed by Freddie, John, Brian and Roger, while other characters will join them and and leave at different times.  
> See the beginning of each chapter for more infos.

_*See the end of the chapter for infos about mentioned races and classes.*_

All collected around a big table, the young clerics were having a good time celebrating a birthday. It was one of the few occasions when they could go out of the convent to have fun and enjoy themselves almost freely from the church's duties. They were all cheering, chatting loudly with each other and having fun. 

All except one, a young Half-Elf girl: she was feeling uncomfortable in the middle of all that noise and surrounded by the group that was catching the whole tavern's attentions. She was happy to spend a night out with her friends, but somehow she felt uneasy and quite bored, not exactly how she was hoping to feel that night.

Her eyes darted around and found a Tiefling staring at her with predatory eyes. From another table, a quartet of Orcs was clearly observing the group of clerics. She hid her pointy ears with her hair and looked away in discomfort. 

That was when the tavern's door slammed open, letting a twirl of snowy wind inside. A man with wavy brown hair ran inside, closing the door behind him in hurry. He was holding tightly his coat, the hood hiding his face. If his sudden entrance made the whole tavern stare at him for a moment, now everyone was back to their activities like nothing has happened. Everyone except for the Half-Elf, of course.

She kept observing the man, who was now limping towards the bar's stool to talk with the owner. She could hear him from her seat.

"Do you have rooms for tonight?" The stranger asked in a crystalline voice, quite different from how she imagined it, but very melodic and with a weird accent.

"Yes, it's 5 golden coins per night." The owner growled and the stranger took out the coins to pay the room, plus something more.

"Fine, I'll take also a soup." He added. 

She noticed some blood stains dripping from the man's body and she got worried. It was in her nature: her main job for the church was taking care of kids and peregrines who came from afar, she was a healer, always prone to help others. And she was also terribly curious. 

Now everything else didn't matter anymore, the party and the tavern disappeared, her attention was now focused only towards the wounded stranger that was unsteadily walking to the most hidden table with his soup, away from everyone else. 

After sitting down, he lowered the hood, revealing the most angelic face she's ever seen: a long, straight nose, thin lips and sad, slightly droopy eyes, all framed by long wavy brown hair. He ate slowly and silently, holding tightly an arm around his waist. Before finishing his meal he had a spasm and dropped the spoon as the pain from his wound shocked his whole body. 

The young Half-Elf stood up, unnoticed by her companions, too busy partying, and slowly approached him. Her desire to help him _-and to discover the color of his eyes-_ were too strong to resist. 

She sat beside him and delicately put a hand on his shoulder to catch his attention. The man shivered at her touch and stared directly in her eyes, frighten and pain in his. They were of an intelligible shade of greenish-grey. 

"Don't be afraid, I want to help you…" She whispered. He thought he's never heard such a beautiful and soothing voice speaking to him before, and instinctively relaxed.

"I'm a cleric, quite good at healing others…" she began with a shy smile "I've seen you're wounded, maybe I can do something for that…" 

He looked around, worried and pale. No one was looking at them. She was a stranger and he had no idea of why she wanted to help him, but he admitted to himself he needed a healer  _ right now. _

"I…" he began shyly, not sure on what to say. "... not here. I don't want to be seen…" 

"Sure. I can lead you to the convent-"

"No." He stopped her. "Not the convent… I can't-" 

She understood: he didn't want to be seen by anyone, but was hesitating on asking her to go to his room to not scare her.  But she wasn't afraid, he looked like he seriously needed her help and in the worst case she would've been capable of using defensive spells to protect herself from any harm. 

"It's ok, I can heal you in your room if you prefer. Better?" She asked, no worries in her eyes.

"Thank you. I… I won't do anything to you, I just…" another flash of pain shook his body. "I accept your help." 

She smiled at him and together left the tavern's hall to go upstairs, to the rooms. As she imagined, none of her cleric "friends" noticed her absence. 

"What's your name?" She asked, trying to distract him from the pain of climbing the wooden stairs.

"John Richard Deacon. Human." He huffed. 

"I'm Veronica Tetzlaff, Half-Elf." 

They got in his room and Veronica closed steadily the door, while John sat on the bed.

The room was quite cheap for the price he paid, small and with some drafts here and there, but comfortable enough for a couple of nights to spend in and well organized with heavy bedsheets. 

The guy lifted his gaze at Veronica, who stood in front of him, fidgeting.

"I… uhm, you should take off your clothes…" she said firmly. John felt his face burning as he blushed furiously and his mind stopped for a moment. 

"W-what?"

"Well, I need to see your wounds to cure them, I can't do it with your coat on…" she was perfectly aware of how he could find this embarrassing, but it was the only way she could heal him.

"Oh, yes, sorry" he stood up and Ronnie helped him taking off the long coat and the many bags and belts full of pockets he was wearing, leaving him just in trousers and a slim, long sleeved shirt. The latter has been ripped off around the ribs by what seemed big claws and it was stained with fresh blood, the wound underneath bleeding and throbbing. Veronica whimpered at the sight, it was worse than she imagined and she wondered how the poor Human even survived.

"The painkiller is running out-" he groaned in pain.

"Painkiller?" 

"I'm not a healer, but I have an herbal kit and… and I had a couple of herbs that have a little painkiller effect." He sat again on the bed, sighing. 

"That's not really good, John, your wounds reopened and you didn't even notice..." 

"I know, but… I had to take it to reach this place, or else I'd have fainted in the middle of the forest!" 

"Guess you're right. Sorry." She shook her head and sat beside him as he laid down on the bed.

Veronica carefully ripped off what remained of the shirt and she found a layer of bandages underneath, also stretched off by the claws, but still intact all around his neck and his chest.

She gave him a questioning look. "Did you… put these?" 

His eyes darkened all of a sudden.

"Yes, but not for this. They… I…" 

She noticed he was struggling to explain, something wasn't right about the bandages.

"I have to take these off anyway." 

He gulped loudly, holding his breath. 

"I-I know…" 

His discomfort worried her to the core, he almost seemed to prefer keeping that horrible wounds open rather than let her take off those bandages. But of course she had to, there was no other way.

"John, do you want me to heal you or do you prefer to bleed on this bed until-"

He grabbed her wrist so tightly it almost hurt her. 

"Promise me you won't freak out. And no questions." His suddenly serious gaze stabbed her heart.

"What do you me-"

" _Promise me._ "

"O-ok..." she surrendered. 

They both began untying the bandages, careful to not touch the wounds. John noticed how steady and expert the girl's hands were, as she had removed miles and miles of bandages with her slim fingers during her whole life.

When they finished, Veronica used a tidy cloth to clean up some of the blood that had spreaded from the wounds through the bandages, finally revealing what the human was trying to hide.

She stared at his pale chest in awe, blinking a couple of times to be sure she wasn't dreaming. 

John felt her gaze on his body and looked away, rubbing his chest in embarrassment and blushing brightly. 

If he always tried to keep a cool and mysterious attitude, which he usually kept successfully, it was like this Half-Elf was able to completely blow it away just to let his shy, nervous nature come out naturally, no matter how hard he tried. And now she was looking at the old scars he carefully hid for years and years.

He felt exposed, weak, helpless for a moment, while an opposite feeling of protection and compassion filled her heart.

The man expected some questions from the girl about it and was already collecting the words to give a reply... but instead he felt a soothing warmth spreading from the open wounds. 

John looked at the Half-Elf again and found her focused, hands placed few millimetres from his bleeding flesh, a golden glow in between. Slowly, he felt every inch of his tense body completely relaxing, her healing spell calming him to the core while the wounds stopped bleeding. 

"Is this… 'Healing Touch'?" 

"Yes, but I need to keep it for a while, whatever hit you was really strong and probably had something that… that slows down any healing spell, I don't know." She frowned. 

"Was it a magical creature?" 

"I'm not really sure, it was dark and… it attacked me, I didn't see it very well." John remembered. 

"I've tried to use a couple of spells in my defense, but I don't think I've even hit it. I used my last magic to move faster and escape…" 

"So, you're a sorcerer?" She guessed, her hands still on his wounds.

"No, a wizard, actually… I'm learning magic from books." He cut off and his eyes darted away, filled by some dark thoughts. 

Veronica nodded and silently focused again on her hands.

After a while she noticed John had relaxed so much he fell asleep.

John woke up when the morning sunlight hit his pillow, warming his face and painting golden locks on his hair. He blinked a couple of times and when he tried to stretch, he noticed a weight at his side. 

A girl with pointed ears and short hair was sleeping peacefully next to him under the blankets, her hands placed on his bare waist where the night before there was a huge, bleeding wound. It took him a couple of moments to remember what happened the last night. 

The wound was now gone, only a sign slightly lighter than his skin tone to show where it was. No more blood, no more pain. 

_'She must've been awaken the whole night to completely heal it…'_ he realized. 

Unsure of what to do and not wanting to wake her up, he stayed still on the bed for a while, looking at her. The previous night he was almost blinded by pain, but now he noticed how pretty that half-elf was. Her reddish hair was glowing like copper in the morning sunlight, while slightly pointed ears peeped out from it like small thorns on a rose. She was very slim, but he knew her frailty was just apparent, and her powers were strong as her heart. 

He found himself admiring her face while she was still sleeping, and his hand instinctively went to caress her shoulders.

_'What the Hell am I doing?_ ' He thought, but the warm feeling of having someone so close at his side was something he longed for so much time he almost forgot it, and now he wasn't able to let it go. He missed his father's pats on the shoulders, he missed his mother's hugs that stopped after the accident, and he missed his sister's hands holding his in comfort. He has closed himself on books to study magic, shutting the world out of the door; running from the past, afraid to be judged, afraid of people. 

But now his hand was running through that girl's hair, that girl who saw him and immediately decided that saving his life was more important than protecting her own from a stranger. He could've killed her, been a rapist, a thief, but she didn't care. She prayed her God to give her magic to cure him, she drained all her energies to save him, not even asking for a payment. 

She was with a group of other Clerics, but she left all of them behind and chose him. 

"Why?" He thought, but his lips moved and the same question slipped out in a whisper.

Veronica heard it, and slowly opened her eyes, a bit confused. She raised her head and met his eyes. John was looking at her, feeling sorry for awakening her, but he couldn't resist to smile a little. 

She shivered, rubbing her eyes again while trying to process what happened that night. His wounds were gone and she smiled, thanking her God for its magic. 

Then she realized all of a sudden she was in a bed with a half-naked stranger, not in the convent, not surrounded by the other clerics and nuns. 

But she's never been in someone's arms for so long before and the warm feeling of having a person so close at her side somehow reassured her and she didn't want to leave. There was a weird feeling tingling in her chest, as if she was happy to break the rules for once and be free, deciding what to do by her own. She told herself it wouldn't have lasted longer, so she wanted to enjoy it as much as she could. 

Veronica looked in John's eyes once again. 

"C-can I stay for a while?" 

He didn't expect that question from her, but in the bottom of his heart he was hoping to hear it. So he smiled.

"Sure." 

"I shouldn't stay here, to be fair…" she admitted quietly. 

"It's early, we still have some time before leaving…" his intention was completely innocent, but she still widened her eyes questioning, a bit startled. 

He got what she was thinking. 

"Oh, no no, don't worry. I won't do anything to you, I promise." He stammered, stuck in this awkward situation. 

"I j-just… like your p-presence next to me." He confessed. "So you can stay here for a while if you want. Just like this." 

"O-okay, thank you." Ronnie blushed and leaned her head back on his chest like it was before. "I… I like your presence too, honestly." 

So they stayed like that for a while again, half asleep on each other, hearing each other's hearts beating. 

Veronica, without thinking, began trailing her fingertips along the strange signs that were on John's chest, those signs he wanted to hide so much from everyone's eyes. 

Red and blue thin scars spreading from his shoulders all across his chest, fading around the ribcage. She thought they seemed like rivers on a map, or delicate marbling on a precious statue.  


"I know you want to ask about these." His voice took her back to reality and her fingers stopped above his heart.

"I know what it is. You've been struck by a lightning… and survived." She whispered.

John was surprised to discover that someone knew about those scars.

"I've seen these signs before only twice, but never on… on a _living_ being." 

He froze at her words. 

Pictures he tried to forget now were flashing in his eyes, memories of the pain coming back from the dark. A light, screams, fire, the smell of burnt flesh.

John felt his trauma reaching the surface along with panic, but a sudden, delicate caress on his chest calmed him down again, draining the memories away. Veronica propped herself on an elbow to face him better, never lifting her hand.

"You don't have to talk about it if you don't want." She gave him a reassuring smile. "I just find amazing that you survived."

"Is it really amazing or just a torture? Maybe it would've been better to die." He let out with a cold voice and her smile faded at his statement.

"I've heard many ones saying this." She murmured. "Orphan children, wounded warriors, ill people… I've seen many of them, tried to save their lives, sometimes I did it, sometimes I failed. And I believe that there's a reason if God let you survive. You had a second chance, maybe you're destined to do something great in your life." 

He was unsure if he believed her or not, but her words were meaningful and, somehow, a glimpse of hope raised in his heart.

"Perhaps you're right…" he whispered back, a tiny smile rising on his lips. 

"So, you told me you're… a sorcerer?" She shifted the topic, letting her curiosity out to know that handsome stranger a bit better.

"A wizard. Sorcerers are born with magic, I didn't and I'm learning from books."

She reminded him saying the same while she was healing him, and nodded. 

"I wasn't born with powers either, but by joining the church I've been trained to be a cleric. It's my God that allows me to use his blessed energy to cure the weak… and punish the evil, if necessary." She smirked. "But I've never did that, honestly." 

"Not yet!" He added, making her giggle. 

Her laugh was like the sound of a crystalline river, and made his heart flip for a moment.

"Guess you're right!"

"I know Clerics are very powerful, not to be underestimated… and I had the proof myself." He ended softly, lifting her chin to look in her eyes. 

Veronica felt her cheeks suddenly burning, as the wizard's face lit up in a toothy smile, the cutest she's ever seen. 

Few hours with that stranger made her live more feelings than she ever did in her whole life in the convent. For the first time someone didn't compliment her God for saving him, but he was appreciating  _ her _ . 

And he wasn't sure of what he was doing, smiling purely while losing himself in her eyes. 

_'John, stop'._ An inner voice broke his moment of peace. _'She can't stay with you anyway, she's a Cleric. Leave her.'_

His smile faded as he realised this was all just a weird dream, an illusion of that happiness he couldn't have. 

"I have to… I think it's better to leave now, it's- it's getting late." He drifted his eyes away and she slowly sat on the bed, looking at John while he jumped off and prepared to go, first binding again his scarred chest with new bandages. 

Veronica was confused, feeling something clenching around her heart. Why was he leaving? Did she do something wrong? Maybe… _'this is silly, Ronnie, you can't stay with him anyway.'_

"Yes, right…" she prepared to go as well, leaving the mountain of questions silently inside her head. 

They left the tavern together, almost silently. 

"V-veronica." John called her before parting their ways and she held her breath as he said her name out loud. 

"I really want to thank you for your help. Really, you saved my life, I'll never be able to say how grateful I feel." He smiled at her, his cheeks flushing red. She smiled back and, without even thinking of it, she hugged him tightly, squeezing his chest against her cheeks and grinning. After all, he made her feel happy and not so lonely, even if for a little time.

"No worries, I just had to do the right thing." 

"I hope to see you again, then…" he brushed awkwardly a strand of hair behind his ear.

"Same for me. Farewell, John, take care of you!"

He stared at her slim figure running away towards the convent, then turned on his heels and went on the opposite way, looking for some new magic books. 

While running, Ronnie felt free, almost like flying, thanking her God for letting her meet that mysterious and sweet, magical stranger. 

\---

"I'm sorry dude, but we don't have books about magic here, only normal books. Herbology, the Art of Weapons, 'how to build a boat'... no magic." The bookshop owner said in a raspy voice.

John cursed through his teeth. 

"Where can I find something, then?"

"Ooh, those nuns from the convent banished all the magic books from the city, but they actually have a huge library in their holy nest, they keep all the magic books away from everyone's eyes! But I wouldn't recommend to go there and say 'hello I'm looking for the books you've prohibited', y'know?" He snarled, grinning widely. 

The Human felt a shiver running down his spine. "Got it, thank you. Have a nice day!" He greeted and left the dusty bookstore.

The convent, then?

Maybe he could have a helpful hand there.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next: We'll meet Brian and Roger!
> 
> INFOS about RACES AND CLASSES  
> Half-Elf: "Walking in two worlds but truly belonging to neither, half-elves combine what some say are the best qualities of their elf and human parents: human curiosity, inventiveness, and ambition tempered by the refined senses, love of nature, and artistic tastes of the elves." 
> 
> Human: "In the reckonings of most worlds, humans are the youngest of the common races, late to arrive on the world scene and short-lived in comparison to dwarves, elves, and dragons. Perhaps it is because of their shorter lives that they strive to achieve as much as they can in the years they are given. Whatever drives them, humans are the innovators, the achievers, and the pioneers of the worlds."
> 
> Cleric: "Clerics are intermediaries between the mortal world and the distant planes of the gods. As varied as the gods they serve, clerics strive to embody the handiwork of their deities. They are conduits for that power, manifesting it as miraculous effects. The gods don’t grant this power to everyone who seeks it, but only to those chosen to fulfill a high calling. A cleric might learn formulaic prayers and ancient rites, but the ability to cast cleric spells relies on devotion and an intuitive sense of a deity’s wishes.  
> Clerics combine the helpful magic of healing and inspiring their allies with spells that harm and hinder foes."  
> Veronica worships the god Ilmater, the incarnation of compassion, and the eternal foe of suffering. 
> 
> Wizard: "Wizards are supreme magic-users, defined and united as a class by the spells they cast. Drawing on the subtle weave of magic that permeates the cosmos, wizards cast spells of explosive fire, arcing lightning, subtle deception, and brute-force mind control. They learn new spells as they experiment and grow in experience. They can also learn them from other wizards, from ancient tomes or inscriptions, and from ancient creatures that are steeped in magic."


	2. Lost in the Woods

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Here we are with the 2nd chapter! We'll move to another side of the country, this time in a forest, where we'll meet a very tall Elf and a strong-tempered Dwarf. How is their first meeting going to be?

_*See the end of the chapter for infos about mentioned races and classes.*_

It was one of those days where the late winter already feels like spring, the sun filtering through the naked branches to create intricate patterns on the cold ground. 

Brian was walking into the woods, his thick coat protecting him from the breeze, but he could still feel the sunlight warming up a bit his tall and slim figure. 

He noticed some creatures waking up, confused by the unusually early springtime.

The Elf smiled, surrounded by all the noisy silence of the woods, twitching his pointy ears to capture every movement of the animals and every whisper of the trees. He was a Druid, after all, being surrounded by nature was his reason to live. 

Today he was looking for a specific herb that was growing in a hidden part of the forest, he needed it to heal an elder of his village, who got caught by a bad cold. The man wasn't in danger, but Chrissie insisted that he had to take that herb to heal faster.

Brian arrived in the deep of the forest, where the trees were so packed that the sunlight barely reached the ground and the cold was filling his limbs, everything to remind that it was still winter, after all. 

He reached the small creek in the wood's heart and followed its stream to find the plant.

Suddenly, a metallic noise roared in the silence of the forest, and Brian tensed up, trying to understand what it was. 

The sound clanged once again, echoing in the woods. 

The Elf quickly hid between the trees and moved silently towards the noise, mentally prepared to use a spell against it or to transform into an animal to run away faster. He sneaked forward and finally saw the source of the noise. 

A Dwarf, wrapped in a silver and golden armor, was hitting a stone with a sword bigger than him, cursing through his teeth.

Brian stared curiously at the short figure. He seemed to be a knight of some sort, his armor was slightly dirty but still very precious, with golden embroidery all over it, and he had another huge sword on his back, twin to the one he was clanging against the rock with such fury. He could've been a great, stunning knight if he weren't so short… Brian thought he was a bit ridiculous. 

'Peculiar', he mentally corrected himself. 

After all, Brian himself was impossibly tall to be an Elf and has been mocked for his stature as well. 

The Dwarf tossed the sword on the ground with a loud grunt, and sat on the same stone, elbows on knees and head in his hands. 

Brian could see his face now, and found himself even more shocked by his features. 

The Elf had only seen hairy, manly Dwarves in his life, with great beards, bold noses and rough expressions, and even female Dwarves weren't exactly the epitome of beauty, at least for his Elven standards. 

But this Dwarf was completely the opposite, with blond locks falling out from his elm -shaped as the head of a lion-, a button nose and the biggest blue eyes Brian had ever seen, framed by long lashes. 

While sitting on the rock, the blonde Dwarf began trembling with rage, but Brian could see something else in his eyes. He seemed  _ lost _ and awfully angry because of that.

The Elf raised from the bushes, slowly approaching the knight with a friendly smile, trying not to startle him.

"Hey, are you lost-" he began, but the Dwarf quickly stood on his feet and took the sword up from the ground, pointing it against him and snarling. 

"STAY BACK, FILTHY ELF!" he roared, his voice growling low in his throat. 

Brian stepped back, raising his hands in surrendering. 

"Hey, there's no need to chop me into pieces, I'm… I don't want to attack you." Brian tried to explain, but the knight was immovable and kept staring in his hazel eyes. 

"I'm Brian. Brian May, an Elf as you can see." 

"Yes, I saw your fucking ears even with that bush of hair. Now mind your business and leave me alone." The Dwarf growled again.

"I was actually minding my business, when I found you here." Brian replied sharply, a bit offended by the Dwarf's rudeness. "If you're lost I can guide you out from the woods. But maybe you prefer staying here and hit that stone with your beaming sword all day." 

The knight stared at him in shock, not expecting such a sharp reply from the Elf. 

He carefully lowered the sword, still angry and a tad offended as well.

"Sir Roger Meddows Taylor." His voice was suddenly higher and delicate, as if the raspy growls he let out earlier came from another person. 

"My  _ beaming sword _ has defeated more creatures than you can imagine, Elf. I would mind my mouth if I were at your place." He angrily stabbed the ground with the blade.

"What are you, you seem too elegant to be a barbarian like every Dwarf is. A fighter, then?" Brian replied, squaring him from above and trying to collect himself once again.

"None of your business, Elf." Roger casually clanged his sword against the rock once again.

Brian shook his head, apparently he met the least friendly knight ever… or whatever that Taylor was.

He kneeled next to the river and put a hand in the freezing water, trying to connect with the nature and calm himself down.

"I'm a Druid. And as I said I can guide you through the forest if you need it." 

"I don't need help to get out from this bloody forest. But thank you, anyway." The blonde barely whispered the last words, even if Brian heard them. 

The Elf smiled at himself.  _ Well, maybe that knight had a soft spot under his shining armor. _

"Are you sure? You seemed pretty lost…" Brian asked gently, still knelt next to the water, showing Roger his back. 

The guy didn't reply, but closed in his thoughts. 

Meanwhile, Brian spotted a flower peeking from above a big rock that was half immersed the water. It was exactly the plant he was looking for, so he stood on his feet and jumped to the other side of the creek, a single leap of his long legs was enough. Roger turned to see what the Elf was doing and saw him climbing the rock that was just a bit taller than him, trying to reach something that was oblivious to the Dwarf. 

"Hey, what are you doing?" He shouted.

"Druid stuff." Brian replied huffing, and picked up the flower, muttering a soundless  _ 'thank you' _ that Roger read on his lips. 

He rolled his eyes, now that tree with legs was talking to a flower. 'Wonderful.' He thought. 

Brian jumped down the rock and collected another couple of flowers that were behind it and he didn't see earlier, enough to prepare a remedy for the ill man.

"Well." He said to Roger, jumping back on his side of the creek. "I'm going to my village now, my offer of taking you out of the forest is still valid." 

The Dwarf took a step to get closer and squared Brian from below. He was around half of him even standing, but the fire in his eyes made him so fierce and powerful that his height didn't matter.

"If you insist I'll follow you, then." He said seriously. 

"Good." Brian gave him a soft smile as he felt interested in the Dwarf's story. Why was he lost in the forest? Was he looking for something? Why was he so angry?

The Elf walked silently through the woods, following the path that led him to the river, and Roger followed him carefully, lost in his own thoughts. His armor was quite noisy, clanging at every step he made and breaking the forest's cold silence as the sunlight was fading and the shadows getting longer. 

"I'm a Paladin, by the way." He stated all of a sudden, startling the Elf a bit. 

"Paladin?" 

"Right. Don't judge me, I'm not a saint or something." He kicked a small stone on the path. 

"I'm not judging you. I just find it… interesting." Brian grinned, wondering why Roger was talking all of a sudden. 

"I can't stand evil, darkness, you know, that sort of things… just trying to make the world a better place." The Dwarf stated with a pout. "That's so naive." He added to his own words, making all his faithful speech crumble on itself. 

"It's not naive, it's a beautiful life goal." Brian replied. "I think darkness and light should coexist, and as there are many evil beings that bring darkness, it's right to have some light bringers as well." The Elf smiled at him once again.

Roger nodded seriously, staring at his feet while he walked through the forest. 

Being rude was Roger's way to defend himself, the Druid realized, and he was opening up a bit now that he felt safer in Brian's company. Maybe all he needed was a friend...

"We're almost out." Brian whispered, already seeing some of the village's lights as the trees parted.

"Thank you for helping me, Elf." Roger muttered and a shade of red appeared on his cheeks.

"Can I ask you…?" The Druid hesitated. 

"Go on."

"How did you get lost in the forest?" Brian finally asked what has been in his head since he saw Roger at the creek.

The Dwarf clenched his fists, his eyebrows furrowed. 

"I've been left behind." He growled, his deeper voice coming out again through his gritted teeth. "My companion was supposed to guide me to the city of Fanose, but he brought me in the middle of the forest and fucking hit me on the head, right here, when I took off my helm for a moment. When I opened my eyes he was gone. Fucking piece of shit." He spat out in a spree of rage and Brian noticed how he was trembling again, his nails dug in his own hands and fire glowing in his blue eyes. He understood why the short Paladin was letting out his fury against that rock next to the river and why he seemed so hurt and angry all the time. 

The Elf gave a friendly pat on Roger's shoulder, who seemed to calm down.

"That's awful, I'm so sorry." He whispered. 

The blonde nodded.

"We're almost at the village, you can sleep here and go to the city tomorrow morning. Make yourself at home." 

"Thank you again Ryan. I owe you a big favor." He wasn't used to being treated so well and for the first time a tiny smile appeared on Roger's lips and his eyes shone with gratitude. 

"No problem! And it's Brian, by the way." He chuckled, and the two reached the village under the freezing night sky. 

\---

"Thank you Druid May, you're always a certainty for all of us." The old man croaked, still tugged in his bed while drinking the herbal infuse made by Brian. It tasted like burnt egg, but the effect against the fever was almost immediate. 

"I asked my wife to prepare you some of her wonderful pudding, I hope you and your lady won't mind it."

"Thank you Radael, we really appreciate your gesture. Remember to stay home for a couple of days and drink hot water and honey." 

Brian said goodbye to the couple of elders, took the pudding and headed home, where Chrissie and Roger were waiting for him. It felt a bit awkward to leave the Dwarf with his ex-girlfriend, specially because Roger had a ton of questions and the Gods knew what she told him about Brian. 

"So, did it work? How was Radael?" Chrissie greeted him standing on her tiptoes to leave a kiss on his cheek, and grinned as she noticed the pudding in his hands. She was a short Elf, with long, straight hair that reached her knees like a waterfall and big, deep green eyes. If there was a chart of Elf heights, she and Brian would've been at the exact opposites.

"I told you he wasn't in danger, he'll feel better in a couple of days. His wife made us pudding to thank us." Brian replied, softly smiling at her. Sometimes he still wondered how it didn't work between them, while they went along so well.

"Pudding!" Roger exclaimed from the kitchen, catching Brian's attention. He was helping doing the table and Brian saw him for the first time without armor: the Dwarf was quite slim, but very toned and one could guess the shape of his muscles under the long sleeved shirt he was wearing. He seemed much smaller now, without his armor and the helm. And apparently was also much happier.

"God, I love pudding! I should ask people to pay me with that instead of money whenever I kill a monster or some shit like that!" He laughed. To Brian, that was a completely different person than the lost dog he found in the woods… and he was quite content about it. 

They had dinner together, with Roger cheerfully declaiming his brave fights against monsters and evil sorcerers (Brian wondered how many of these were actually true) and talking shit about the companion who left him behind. Apparently this dude, called Tim, was a Paladin like Roger and was jealous of his successes, also among ladies. 

"We've been called by the convent of Fanose for a task, they asked our help to escort one of their clerics to the city of Nolfast." Roger explained. "But seems like Tim wants to do it all by himself. It's a suicide, I tell you, no one can go from Fanose to Nolfast alone."

"But there would be a cleric with him, no?" Chrissie asked. "I've studied in Fanose's convent for a while and I can tell you, one shouldn't underestimate their clerics." 

"I know, but it's still not safe. You need at least a party of… three, four people. And Tim is not even that good as Paladin, trust me." The Dwarf scoffed, munching his last piece of pudding. 

"What if I come with you?" 

Both Roger and Chrissie turned to Brian, neither of them expected him to say something like that. 

"Excuse me?" The girl shot out, quite pissed.

"I said  _ 'what if I come with you?' _ to Roger. Going to Fanose, help him with the mission." He replied.

Roger was a bit shocked at the Elf's sudden desire of adventure.

"Brian, you're the druid of this village, everyone here needs you!" Chrissie went on, beginning to raise her voice.

"You're as good as me at healing people, Chris. You've been a cleric and I taught you druidic secrets myself, you said yourself to not underestimate clerics. You're perfectly capable of doing my job here." He stared directly in her eyes, deadly serious. 

Beside him, Roger felt uncomfortable in the middle of a fight for the first time.  _ 'I wish I were in front of a dragon right now…'  _ he thought, while the tension between Brian and Chrissie grew thicker.

"Fine. Can you at least tell me why you want to go? Can I  _ at least _ know that?" She asked. Apparently this wasn't the first time they had a similar discussion. 

Brian rubbed the back of his head. 

"I… I need to go, Chrissie. Explore the world, reconnect with nature…"

"While going to  _ the city _ ?" The girl raised an eyebrow.

"I've been in this place for too long! I feel stuck, I already told you. I want to go." Brian's voice broke a little while he pleaded and reached for her hand, giving it a little squeeze.

" _ Please _ , Chrissie." 

She glared at Roger, who accidentally met her eyes and immediately set them back to his plate. Then looked at Brian, at his hazel eyes that often asked her to go away. Maybe she was still in love with him, but somehow he felt a different kind of affection for her, and she had to let him go. This time for real.

"I'll come back, eventually. Even just to say hello." Brian whispered and gave her a little smile.

She nodded.

"Ok. But please… take care of you." 

"I will." 

"Ahem-" Roger cleared his throat, dying inside a little for interrupting their moment. "So, we'll go tomorrow morning?" 

"Yes, let me get my stuff and then we'll be ready for tomorrow." Brian raised from the table and left the kitchen with Roger.

Chrissie was left alone with her thoughts, once again, and began washing the dishes.

She was the village's druid now. 

\---

"Veronica!" 

The headmistress's voice echoed in the garden, stopping all the kids that were running and chasing each other. Veronica turned to face her, holding a little Tiefling in her arms. 

"Veronica, darling, come in please." The old woman stated solemnly and the cleric put down the kid on the warm grass. 

"Wwonnie, no!" He clung to her dress, not wanting to let her go, his lip quivering. 

"I'll be back soon, little one!" She gave him a reassuring pat between his horns and headed to the convent. 

"Do you need me, headmistress?" 

"Yes. The high priest of Nolfast needs some documents we keep in this convent." 

The woman wrapped a hand around Ronnie's shoulders with a fond smile on her lips.

"We can't leave those books in unsafe hands, and you're one of the best clerics we have here in the convent, that's why I chose you for this task."

The Half-Elf felt a shiver down her spine. She's been chosen for a mission? She's never travelled that far outside the convent… 

"Don't worry, I've asked a couple of paladins to escort you to the city. They'll help and protect you during the travel and back. And Ilmater is always looking down on you!" 

Veronica stared at the floor, lots of doubts creeping up inside her brain, shutting down that small feeling of being honoured to be the chosen one. 

"T-thank you, headmistress." She whispered. 

"You have three days to get ready, before the paladins arrive. You'll have to study all the documents to show to the high priest." They stopped in front of the garden and Ronnie noticed they've been walking in circle. 

"I'll let you take care of the kids now, have fun." Then, the woman disappeared back inside. 

Veronica let out a deep sigh. 

"I'll have fun, then." 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> INFOS about RACES AND CLASSES  
> ELF: "Elves are a magical people of otherworldly grace, living in the world but not entirely part of it. They live in places of ethereal beauty, in the midst of ancient forests or in silvery spires glittering with faerie light. Elves love nature and magic, art and artistry, music and poetry, and the good things of the world."
> 
> DWARF: "Bold and hardy, dwarves are known as skilled warriors, miners, and workers of stone and metal. Though they stand well under 5 feet tall, dwarves are so broad and compact that they can weigh as much as a human standing nearly two feet taller. Their courage and endurance are also easily a match for any of the larger folk."
> 
> DRUID: Druids revere nature above all, gaining their spells and other magical powers either from the force of nature itself or from a nature deity. Druid spells are oriented toward nature and animals—the power of tooth and claw, of sun and moon, of fire and storm. Druids also gain the ability to take on animal forms, and some druids make a particular study of this practice, even to the point where they prefer animal form to their natural form.
> 
> PALADIN: A paladin swears to uphold justice and righteousness, to stand with the good things of the world against the encroaching darkness, and to hunt the forces of evil wherever they lurk. Although many paladins are devoted to gods of good, a paladin’s power comes as much from a commitment to justice itself as it does from a god. Paladins train for years to learn the skills of combat, mastering a variety of weapons and armor. Even so, their martial skills are secondary to the magical power they wield: power to heal the sick and injured, to smite the wicked and the undead, and to protect the innocent and those who join them in the fight for justice.


	3. The pub and the library

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As promised, we finally meet Freddie! The first impression really matter, but is this the true Fred? We'll get to know him slowly, he's got lots of secrets...  
> Also, John has a task to do, but seems like his heart is guiding him to an unexplored path.  
> Infos about the Tiefling race at the end of the chapter.

Seven days before the mission.

"Darling, this place needs absolutely a makeover, those chairs are _dreadful_." 

The barista snorted, showing his back to the Tiefling that was sitting at his counter. He's been talking non stop since he entered in the pub, swirling in his red and gold mantle and waving his hands around like a fool. 

The pub was fine as it was and the chairs were good. 

"Let me tell you, the clientele is not good either, I can't see any nice face around here." The Tiefling sipped his red wine, glancing at the tables. "The wine is amazing, by the way. I can't complain." He added, grinning at the bartender.

"It's better for you if you stop complaining at all, demon." The bearded human growled. He looked more like an Orc, honestly. 

"Hell, are you always so rude with your customers or are my horns pissing you off?" The Tiefling slid a gloved hand along one of the two purplish horns that adorned his head, starting from above his eyebrows and curling backwards. They were adorned with golden rings, while a little crown stood between them, on the top of his head. He fluttered his yellow eyes, faking a flirty attitude. The truth was that the Tiefling was absolutely horrified by that man, even if his wine was good. He was playing with fire, and being rude with that half demon was more dangerous than he could've imagined. 

Their attention got suddenly caught by a shine that ran across the whole pub and they turned to the door. 

A knight, all dressed in a shiny silver armor with golden embroidery, just got into the pub and was headed to the counter.  He sat right next to the Tiefling and ordered a red beer.

The half demon felt a shiver down his spine and immediately recognised the nature of his new neighbour. 

"Oh, what's a paladin doing in this anonymous pub?" He sipped his wine.

The paladin glanced at him.

"Not your business, demon." He replied harshly, beginning to drink his beer.

"Glad to know you're not looking for me then. Otherwise I'm sure you would've been already dead on the floor." The Tiefling chuckled nonchalantly.

"Are you threatening me, demon?" The paladin slammed the empty glass on the counter.

"Hell, stop calling me demon, my name's Frederick." He stretched out his gloved hand, but the knight kept his serious gaze upon him without moving.

Frederick tilted his head with a smile.

"I'm not threatening you, I'm considering you a worthy opponent!" 

The knight smirked. The Tiefling's words enlightened something in his mind. 

He shook his hand.

"Tim. Tim Staffel. And if I were looking for you, I'm sure the corpse on the floor would've been yours."

\---

"The library?" 

"Yes, I've been told there's a big library here in the convent." 

The Halfling squared John from below, lifting an eyebrow.

"There is, but only part of it is available to… the public." She chirped in a high-pitched voice.

John expected that. The half-orc in the shop told him they hid all the magic books and kept them secret, but getting in the library was at least something. 

"Sure, I'm just looking for old books. I'm studying Elven literature." He lied, but the Halfling couldn't know. 

She nodded, a bit pissed off.

"Follow me." She said, turning and walking inside the library. 

The place was a cathedral of bookshelves and walls covered in old tomes, John couldn't even see the end of it, like an infinite tunnel of books. There must've been magic involved, since there was no trace of such a big building from the outside.

"There are three rules here. First: don't talk to anyone, except the librarian over there." The Halfling pointed at a little old Goblin that was sitting behind a huge table, almost buried by books bigger than her.

"Second: no access past that green shelf. There's a spell that allows only the clerics to go through that. Otherwise you die." And she pointed towards the end of the library, to a huge, dusty green bookshelf that was splitting the room in two like a border. John noticed a sort of distortion in the air, like a weird lens that made the other bookshelves tremble a bit.  _ That _ was said spell and it seemed quite powerful, he wondered if there was a way to go through it without dying. 

"Third rule: the books can't get out of here. You can read them here, and when you hear the seventh bell of the evening you have to get out. Give your books to the librarian and come back the next day if you haven't finished." She stopped suddenly, her wooden clogs clicked on the floor reverberating in the library. "All clear?" 

John nodded quietly. 

"Yes, everything's clear. Thank you." He replied seriously and she went back to the entrance, leaving him alone. 

He wandered in the library for a while, trying to understand how the place worked and getting closer to the magic boundary that protected the off-limits section. There were some clerics and other random people studying in the library and looking for books, all closed in divine silence. John didn't really know what to look for, since the objects of his interest were inaccessible for him. 

He found some scientific books about storms and thunders, but preferred to leave them closed. 

'Another time.' He thought. 

When he arrived upstairs, a soft voice reached his ears and he felt his skin tingling on his neck. He sneaked behind a bookshelf and peeked to the other side, caring to not be seen.

Three days passed since he said goodbye to her, and Veronica's voice and face were still clearly impressed in his mind, but this time he was seeing her in her "natural habitat" and it enlightened his curiosity.

She was walking around a big table where a group of children was seating, each one had a book in front of them and was holding a pen, some more unsteadily than others. She was holding a book as well, probably the same as theirs. 

"Killian, can you read the next paragraph, please?" She asked kindly to one of the children, a little Elf with grey skin and very long pointy ears. 

The kid began reading with some difficulties, hesitant with double letters and struggling to recognise the vowels, but Veronica was there to help him.

'She told me that she's a healer, but she's also a teacher…' John thought, admiring her slim fingers running on the book showing the kids how to read, her loving eyes and the motherly smiles she gave them. He felt his heart flutter and turned around quickly, as if she could've heard his thoughts and he didn't want to be discovered. To be honest, he was trying to shut those thoughts too. 

'You need her help just to reach those books, you idiot!' He told himself. 

But it was impossible to reach her, not with all those children around and the strict rule to not talk to anyone in the library. Rule that apparently only teacher and students were allowed to break, while still being quiet. 

After a while, he heard one of the kids asking a question. 

"Ronnie, tomorrow is the third day of the calendar, can we play in the big square?"

"Sure, I didn't forget the promise!" She replied cheerfully. "Now go on, we have a chapter to finish before the evening's prayers." 

The lesson proceeded and John carefully stepped away, heading out of the library. He gave the librarian a couple of literature books before going outside and meeting the sunlight again. 

\---

Chairs reversed on the floor, dust filling the air, filtering the sunset from the broken windows; the counter destroyed behind Frederick, and Tim's body laying on the floor shivering as the Tiefling pointed his open hand right above his chest.

"You're just an overgrown schoolboy… Let me tan your hide." The demon smirked, revealing his pointy teeth.

"No, please…" the paladin squirmed on the floor, no one around them to help him. His goddess above? Gone as well, probably furious with him. 

Few minutes earlier he was telling the Tiefling his latest adventure, talking with pride about how he left his 'irascible and annoyingly short' companion alone in the woods just so he could've completed their assigned mission without any bother, earning the prizes and recognition he believed to deserve. 

Unluckily for him, abandonment was one of the few things that made Frederick absolutely mad, if not furious. 

Their could've been a nice conversation between powerful fighters in front of a glass of alcohol, but the knight got swallowed by his own pride and the goddess he was serving decided to turn her back to him, allowing the Tiefling to shoot an Eldritch Blast directly in his guts. 

It was no surprise that the Goddess somehow preferred the blonde Dwarf between the two, and the dark-haired man learned at his own cost that he chose the worst way to try to ingratiate her. 

And now he was on the pub's floor, right after the Tiefling sent all the customers and the bartender out reversing the furniture with some kind of obscure magic. Right after Tim failed a defensive spell and the half-demon stabbed his chest with another spell: Witch Bolt, a spear of black magic meant to stay in the target and kill it slowly, pulsing in its flesh and radiating painful energy.

"I thought paladins were meant to be good, to help others, but seems like between of us the real monster is the 'good' guy." Frederick stepped forward, his hand firm above Tim's chest, ready to release another shock of black magic through his ribcage. He clicked his tongue a couple of times, shaking his head with disappointment. 

"Tsk, tsk. I'm pretty sure your god is not happy to know you've abandoned a brother of yours, a paladin like you, just because you found him bothering and short. You filthy racist and traitor." 

He clenched his fist and the magic spear pulsed, making the paladin scream in pain. 

"Why are you doing this, demon?!" He yelled, squeezing his eyes shut. "I didn't do anything to you!"

Frederick kneeled beside his head. 

"I told you to not call me demon. I'm Frederick. A warlock, if you prefer. And I simply can't stand people like you, who pretend to be good while they're just sharks, using others just to reach their goals and then throwing them away. But every action has a consequence, my darling." He playfully poked his victim's nose. 

"Is your conscience all right? Does it plague you at night?" 

His hand raised again above Tim's chest, ready to attack again.

"I'm sorry! I'll go back to… to my mate, I'll save him, I'm sorry!" The human stared in the Tiefling's yellow eyes, but all he saw was a merciless, ancient fury. Frederick smiled again.

"Do you feel good?" 

As he closed his fist, the purple spear sent the last pulse of magic through the paladin's body.

A scream, and the light in his eyes died.

With the tip of his index the warlock took a bit of Tim's blood and began writing something on his chestplate, under the hole he made with his Witch Bolt. 

Then rose on his feet and walked away, whistling in the sunset. 

\---

Six days before the mission.

John was having a little meal in the square, sitting on a bench under the winter's sun. He had helped the butcher fixing a couple of tools and the man thanked him with a nice, juicy sandwich full of meat, which was a true blessing those days. 

As he finished his meal, he heard children screaming and laughing before seeing them appearing in the square from the street behind the church. 

"Don't go too far, okay?" Veronica's voice chimed right after, followed by a choir of "okay!"s. She didn't notice John, but he was staring at her as she stayed with the youngest kids, playing in circle and chasing them around, while the older ones were playing with a ball next to the dried fountain.

The Half-Elf moved like a playful cat around the kids, making funny faces and tickling their sides. John thought back at her worried face while she was healing him, and at her tiny smile before they had to part ways. 

And his mind wandered in places he didn't want it to go, imagining her sharing those huge smiles and laughs with him, thinking again of her figure sleeping next to him, of her warmth at his side, dreaming of her chasing their own children. He thought about his sister, how he used to play with her like Ronnie was playing with those kids. He thought about his mother, who used to give him kisses on his forehead and chase him around the house. Once again, that Cleric brought back memories of the family he couldn't have anymore. 

John groaned and shook his head, raising from the bench and walking away, trying to wipe off that trail of dreams that was just confusing and irritating him.

It was then that she noticed him.

"John?" She asked as she got closer, leaving the kids to play. 

"Am I right, is John your name?" She asked again and he felt her pulling his tunic.

"I- uhm, yes, yes." He nodded, and a weird feeling tingled in his chest.

"What are you doing here?" Her smile was radiant, almost blinding, and he had to look away, reminding himself why he needed her help.

"I was… I was actually looking for you, b-but you seem… occupied." 

"Oh, just a bit, the children need their free time…" she giggled and just then realised what John said. "You were… looking for me?" 

They sat again on the bench, so Ronnie was able to keep her eyes on the kids while talking.

"Yes, I've heard... I need some books about magic, you know, and… and I've been told they're all in the library…" he stammered.

Veronica nodded, scratching the back of her head. "Yes, there are lots of magic books in our library…"

"But I can't…"

"Reach them, I know." She looked at her hands, thinking.

John ran his hands on his thighs, not really sure of how ask to her help, but then she let out a hum next to him.

"I imagine you need those books to learn new spells, right?"

"Uh, yes, exactly… I've been looking for magic books for a while now and… you know, I feel so close now, but I can't read them." He groaned, fidgeting with the rings on his right hand.

"You  _ could _ read them, if you had a way to cross the spell that blocks them." She corrected him, and John noticed a mischievous smile on her lips as she kept her eyes on the children. 

"Will- will you help me?!" He almost shouted in shock.

The Half-Elf gazed at him through her lashes. 

"Yes, but I need your help in exchange." She smirked.

The wizard couldn't help but blindly accept before he could even think.

"Sure, anything you need…"

A shade of worry ran in her eyes and she bit her nails, looking around. 

"I prefer to not talk about it here, sorry." 

John nodded lightly with apprehension, whatever she was asking him seemed important, and he couldn't wait to discover what it was. 

"I'll tell you everything later in the library. At the eleventh bell of the night, go under the fifth window of the library, it's the one with a big hand on the stained glass. I'll be there." 

The Human memorized quickly every instruction, being careful of not mishearing anything. 

"Only the Clerics can walk through the spell, but if we work in team you can pass with me, okay?" She ended.

"Okay." 

"I need to study some of those books anyway, so no one would question my presence there. I'll cover you." She shrugged and grinned at him once again.

"Sounds like a good plan." John smiled, revealing again the gap between his front teeth. "Thank you, Veronica!" 

Ronnie felt her cheeks burning, deep down she's always loved sneaking in the library at night or outside the convent, just to try the feeling of breaking the rules. The feeling of being free. 

And for a moment the fear of her mission left place to that same sensation, a glimpse of braveness filling her heart at the idea that John -even if he didn't know yet- accepted to accompany her in that travel. In those few days after their meeting she couldn't stop thinking about him, she tried to keep focused on the kids and on her duties in the convent, but every night she thought of him and how their encounter was now tattooed in her head. She has been wondering if he could've joined her in her mission, even just for the sake of being together. Silly dreams of a girl that, in this exact moment, were almost becoming true in front of her eyes.

One of the children suddenly fell on the rough ground and let out a wail of pain as blood began to drip from her knee.

That was the end of the conversation between the Human and the Half-Elf on the bench.

"Sorry, duty calls!" She waved at John, rushing to help the kid.

He looked at her while she knelt in front of a little Dwarf girl, trying to calm down her cries. Veronica put her hands on the wound, closed her eyes and a warm glowing light appeared under her palms.

As she removed her hands, the wound was gone and the little girl threw her arms around the cleric's shoulders in a hug.

Instinctively, John's hand went to his ribs, where she healed his wounds few days before. 

That night was cold, clouds covering the moon and enveloping everything with a coat of darkness. The bell chimed eleven times and the window above John's head slowly opened.

"John! Psst!" 

He raised his head and saw Veronica at the window. 

"Can you climb a rope, wizard?" She whisper-yelled at him. 

"Yes!" He replied, showing her a raised thumb.

Ronnie threw a rope down the window and John managed to climb it quite easily. As he stepped in with her help, he noticed they were in the public session of the library and as he already imagined the inside has been made much bigger than the outside with a very powerful spell. From outside he could see the end of the building few meters from him, while inside… it went on and on, endlessly. 

"This place is amazing." He whispered as he helped Veronica untying the rope. 

"It really is, the nuns always say that our god Ilmater built it with his hands and used his immense powers to make this the bigger library of the land. He wanted a place where to keep as much knowledge as possible." She explained as they walked towards the prohibited section.

"Then why it's not public? Isn't that a bit… selfish?" 

"He didn't make that, the prohibited sections came much later…" The Half-elf's whispers were now so low that John could barely hear her. 

"There are lots of rules made by other clerics and high functionaries. I shouldn't question them, but honestly…" she shook her shoulders, leaving the topic suspended in the dusty air. 

"Mh, I understand." He nodded. Veronica seemed to be a bit more open-minded than other clerics he'd known, and he felt grateful for having met her. This girl had something special and he was sure she was much more than just a nanny and a nurse. 

"Here we are." She stopped at the first dark-green bookshelf and glanced around.

John could see again that the air was slightly trembling, like he noticed the day before. 

The cleric reached out to touch the invisible wall with her fingertips. 

"If you touch this wall, your skin begins to burn and it can't stop until you die." She whispered and the wizard felt a shiver running down his spine. Sure he survived a lightning struck, but that was just "luck", he couldn't be lucky enough to survive this as well. 

Veronica turned to look straight in his eyes with a serious stare. 

"But  _ I _ can do this."

She moved her hand forward and the transparent wall magically opened enough to let the hand go through it, as if it was repulsed by her.

John found that really fascinating. 

"Objects can't pass through it either, if not carried by someone who can. And I believe that holding you by the hand won't be enough…" she stopped to smirk nervously at John. "I think I have to carry you, somehow." 

He gave her a blank stare. Carry him? Holding him up from the ground… like a bride or something? 

"I know it's weird, but it has to recognise you as an object I carry and not as a person I'm helping to get in." She added. 

"O-ok, sounds fair. Do you think you're able to carry me?" 

Veronica nodded and pointed at her back.

"Up on my shoulders." 

"Uh, right." The human hesitated. He was much taller than her and for sure he was also much heavier...

"Don't worry, I've carried Half-Orc children way bigger than me and my back didn't give up yet!" She chuckled and he felt somehow reassured. That girl was surprising him more than he could've ever imagined.

The wizard wrapped his arms around her neck, pressed his chest against her back and gave himself a little push so she could hold his legs against her waist. 

It took her just a moment, a couple of steps, and they were on the other side of the magic barrier. No injuries, no pain. 

John jumped down from Ronnie's back and she huffed in relief, but something was keeping him few inches close to her. That warmth, her flower scent, the calming feelings that she could radiate and once again hypnotized him. Was he really looking for those magic books or was all of this a big excuse to stay wit her-

"John?" She called him back on earth.

"Mh, yes?" He felt himself blushing as she set her stare upon him, way too close from his face.

"We did it, it worked!" She giggled and a big smile shone on her lips while she began making little jumps of joy all around him.

"So, what do you want to read John?" Without even thinking she held both his hands and dragged him through the prohibited section of the library. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Race info: TIEFLING: "To be greeted with stares and whispers, to suffer violence and insult on the street, to see mistrust and fear in every eye: this is the lot of the tiefling. Tieflings are derived from human bloodlines, and in the broadest possible sense, they still look human. However, their infernal heritage has left a clear imprint on their appearance. Tieflings have large horns that take any of a variety of shapes, they have thick tails which lash or coil around their legs when they get upset or nervous. Their canine teeth are sharply pointed, and their eyes are solid colors (Frederick's eyes are golden yellow). Their skin tones include various shades of red. Their hair is usually dark, from black or brown to dark red, blue, or purple. Lacking a homeland, tieflings know that they have to make their own way in the world and that they have to be strong to survive. They are not quick to trust anyone who claims to be a friend, but when a tiefling’s companions demonstrate that they trust him or her, the tiefling learns to extend the same trust to them. And once a tiefling gives someone loyalty, the tiefling is a firm friend or ally for life."
> 
> Infos about the WARLOCK class will be given in future chapters.


	4. Getting closer

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Roger and Brian have to deal with a terrible discovery, while John and Ronnie begin studying in the library and get closer to each other.  
> I love writing developing relationships, I hope you'll like this chapter!

Six days before the mission

After two days of walking, Brian and Roger finally arrived in a small town next to a river, both hungry and in need of a place to restore themselves.

In those couple of days Roger learned how many things a Druid can do just with a couple of leaves and some prayers to the mother Earth; their rests in the forest have been the best he ever had, without worrying for creatures or insects. That Elf wasn't just capable of crafting proper beds and a campfire, but he was able to communicate with the nature in a way that Roger was still trying to understand. 

By his side, Brian had enough patience to wait for Roger's slower pace (his short legs' fault) and to listen to all his ramblings about fighting monsters and his rants against his ex-friend Tim. And thanks the forest's spirits he didn't ask Brian about Chrissie. Overall it's been a nice trip and Brian struggled to understand exactly why Tim abandoned Roger in the woods, he seemed to be a nice guy and they were getting along well. 

As soon as they entered in the city, they felt something was wrong. The villagers stared at them with suspicious eyes, most of them pointing at Roger and whispering something. When they reached the city's central square they noticed a lot of movement in front of a tavern. A pub, they found out getting closer. 

The place seemed devastated, as if a tornado got inside and reversed all the tables and chairs, and some people were blocking the entrance.

"Something's gone wrong here, huh?" Roger pointed out.

A bearded human who looked more like an orc was arguing with a knight, probably a guard. 

"He's a fucking murderer, you have to stop that demon! He destroyed my place, fucking bastard!" They could hear his shouts.

"I'm sorry, can I ask you what happened here? We've just arrived in town and seen some troubles…" Brian asked to another Elf who was there apparently to write down an analysis of the events, well dressed and with a long elegant braid of grey hair.

"Yes, yesterday evening a Tiefling murdered a man in this place." He raised an eyebrow glancing at Roger. "The victim was a paladin with the same armor as yours, Dwarf. Did you know him?" He rummaged in his papers and took out a portrait of a human, showing it to Roger.

The blonde felt his heart sink and his knees getting weak.

He nodded, suddenly silent.

"Oh gods." Brian stared at his friend while he began sweating. "Is that Tim?"

Roger nodded again, his blue eyes fixed on the drawing getting wider with horror. 

"Good, we have to ask you some questions, mister." The young Elf stated in a cold voice and brought them inside. 

They sat in the pub, adjusting some chairs in their proper position. Roger kept shivering on his seat and glancing at his shoulders, looking at the pool of blood in the middle of the pub's floor that was still drying. The body has been already carried away and prepared to be sent at the Paladins' headquarters, but Roger could still imagine him down there.

Brian was at his side, a hand on his shoulder trying to support him. 

Sure Roger was angry at Tim, but he didn't want him to be _murdered_. A punishment such as an arrow in his knee, a week wandering in the forest or a degradation from royal paladin to common knight were enough. 

"So, were you teammates?" The Elf in front of him began.

"Y-yes, we are Paladins of the Goddess Athena, from the city of Skiran. He is- _was_ \- was a friend of mine." The Dwarf tried to swallow the knot in his throat, picking up some courage.

"And what were you doing in the whereabouts?"

"We're headed to the city of Fanose, the convent asked us to escort a cleric to Nolfast. Their Church's stuff, I guess. We're meant to be just bodyguards…" Roger nervously squeezed his fingers, fidgeting with his gloves' thin fabric. 

The Elf kept writing down everything told by the Dwarf.

"And why was your companion here, while you arrived just today? ...with another companion which doesn't resemble a Paladin at all?" He raised his gaze to look at Brian, who glanced at Roger. The blonde paladin clenched his fists until he felt his knuckles aching. 

"Sir Staffel knocked him down and abandoned him in the forest. I rescued him, we came here in hope to find his companion and ask for an explanation, but…" Brian spoke, holding a hand on Roger's arm.

"Did I ask you to speak, Elf?" The other replied sharply and the druid shivered. 

"N-no, but-"

"He's telling the truth." The blonde murmured, his eyes low.

"Mh, fine." He kept writing while Roger whispered an inaudible 'thank you' at Brian. 

"That could explain the words written by the killer..." 

"The what?" Roger lifted his gaze at the Elf, a bit confused.

"The killer used the victim's blood to write three words on his chestplate: 'racist', 'traitor' and 'prideful'. Then he disappeared, some witnesses told that they were too scared by the Tiefling and just let him go." 

Shivering, the blonde dwarf ran a hand on his face, trying to connect the dots. Sure his mate was prideful and probably also jealous of Roger's successes and beauty. Traitor? Well, abandoning him in the forest was treachery without any doubt, he betrayed their friendship. Racist? Roger never noticed hints of hate against his dwarven nature… or maybe he did, whenever the Dwarf walked "too slowly" or behaved following his instincts more than his brain and Tim always complained? 

"From the wounds it seems that the killer used magic, so he was a spellcaster. We had news from various villages of a Tiefling Warlock wandering around and causing troubles. Do you know anything about him?"

Both Brian and Roger shook their heads. 

Then the druid remembered something he heard in his little village some time before.

"I… I've heard about a prince Warlock that people call _'Death on two legs',_ but I thought it was just a bedtime story to scare children. Beside that, I've personally never even met a Tiefling." 

The other Elf frowned.

"We're still trying to find out if there's any connection between this Tiefling and that legendary Warlock, yes… so, that excludes the chance that you hired this Tiefling to kill sir Staffel, right?"

At those last words, Roger slammed his fists on the table and stood on his feet, shouting at the Elf.

"I'd never kill Tim, even if he was an asshole! Even if he hit my fucking head and left me in the woods, I'd _never_ kill him! Is that clear?!" 

"Roger, please-" Brian tried to calm him down, but the Dwarf was red with fury, such an accusation stabbed right through his honour and he couldn't tolerate it.

"I'm a Paladin and as such I'd never stab my friends, my companions, at their backs! I face my enemies, I'd never hire someone else to do my job and I'd never hire someone else to take revenge!" He leaned on the table, his face few inches from the Elf's. "Is it clear?" He hissed.

The Elf remained impassible, but Brian noticed a drop of sweat running down his temple. 

"I'll personally write a letter to the headquarters, I'll complete that mission even without sir Staffell, helped by another man I personally chose. As for Tim… I'll pray for his soul and I hope he'll get a proper funeral." Roger ended finally getting rid of his anger and calming down once again, but his blood was still steaming. 

"Right, I think we've finished here. Thank you for your time, sir Taylor." The Elf stretched out his arm, but Roger turned his back and headed out from the destroyed pub. Brian shook the Elf's hand at his place and followed him out.

"I think I need to hit something bigger than a rock next to a river…" Roger was lying on his bed, while Brian was sitting on the other mattress above him, his long legs hanging from the bunk bed. They found a small room in the town's inn and after an uncomfortably silent dinner they were ready to sleep.

Roger needed to rest much more than Brian, they both knew, but the Dwarf's head was still storming with thoughts and emotions he was struggling to handle. 

"I can make you a relaxing tea, if you want." The Elf offered.

"Fuck off." 

"Seriously, Rog. I know it's hard, but you have to sleep. Tomorrow you'll write the letter to the headquarters, but you need to clean up your mind first." 

The paladin didn't reply. He glanced at his armor, carefully placed on the corner of the room.

"Do you… do you think I'm slow at walking?" He began.

"Why do you ask?"

"Just answer."

"Well, it's pretty clear that your legs are shorter than mine, but I don't think you're too slow. It's ok, everyone has their own pace." 

"The killer wrote that Tim was racist. I've never really cared about it, but he was always complaining that I was slow at walking and he always took the initiative 'because I'm short', stuff like that. I'm a Dwarf, for fuck's sake, I _am_ short! My body is meant for fist fight and mining, not for running in the fields and climbing trees!" 

Brian thought he seemed like a child complaining about his sibling's behaviour with a parent and couldn't help to smile sadly. Sure he was angry at his mate and remarked it constantly on their travel, but simply because he wanted to understand the real reason of his abandonment. And maybe punch his nose or hit his head as well, but surely Roger wouldn't have taken such a hard revenge.

Brian wondered if it was the same for sir Staffell, if that was just a badly ended joke or if he seriously wanted to abandon him. But now it was too late to ask.

The Elf leaned forward to peek down at Roger and saw him hiding his eyes with an arm. He sniffed loudly and a couple of huge tears ran down his cheeks, falling on the pillow.

"I didn't want him to die like that." He whined.

Brian felt a pang in his heart and jumped down, sitting on Roger's mattress. He didn't expect the Dwarf's sudden hug, but his hands wrapped around him, running soothingly on the paladin's back.

"Brian?" He asked quietly, his voice muffled in the Elf's shirt now damp with his tears.

"Yes?"

"Can I have that tea, please?" 

"Sure…" 

\---*---

"These documents seem really ancient…" John got closer to the old parchment, trying to read.

"They are. Original scripts and spells written by Ilmater's disciples." Veronica slightly enhanced the lamp's flame, so the ink on the paper was more visible.

They were still in the library, just a couple of hours have passed and as Veronica found the documents she needed to study and John found a some books, they settled down on a small table well hidden between bookshelves. 

"And… do you have to learn them?" He asked.

"Yes and no. I'm not skilled enough to use them, not yet. These are high level spells and require much more ability than what I have now… but I have to learn everything that's written here… and here." She moved closer another ancient book with a cover that clearly used to be white, but has been darkened by the years. 

She raised her eyes to meet John's. 

"Here comes what I was about to ask you this afternoon." 

The Human noticed how the Half-Elf began fidgeting nervously with her own fingers and remembered her worried look of few hours before. 

"Yes, tell me."

"I, uhm… I've been chosen for a task regarding these documents. I have to bring them to the city of Nolfast, to the high priest."

"Don't tell me you have to go alone by yourself!" John almost jumped.

"No, no, I'll be escorted by two paladins… but…" she bit her lip, while John waited for her to go on.

"...I mean, I don't know who they are, I know they're meant to be my bodyguards, but you know, I'm…"

"So, are you asking me to come with you?" John asked quietly, he was expecting that question. 

Veronica nodded, her cheeks blushing a bit in the lamp's light. "Yes, I'd like you to come with me. The convent doesn't have to know, I'll tell the paladins you're an old friend of mine and… and I hope they'll accept… I mean..." she stammered. 

John instinctively squeezed her hand, trying to reassure her.

"You know, I already promised my help before and I promise it again. You helped me getting in here and I'll help you with your task. Have you had been travelling before?"

Ronnie shook her head.

"That's why I'm scared… I don't really know what to expect out there, and going with two unknown people…" she shivered.

"Honestly I trust you more. I know you're a good person, John." 

The human widened his eyes as for the first time after many years someone gave him a compliment and their complete trust. But somehow he still felt he didn't deserve it.

"You… you don't know much about me, honestly." He whispered, wondering once again how she could be so pure.

"I know you enough to understand that you wouldn't harm me and that you're will to help me is sincere." The Half-Elf was deadly serious now.

"If you wanted to kill me, to rob me or to rape me you've already had plenty of chances, first of all having me asleep and harmless at your side, and now we're alone in the deep of the biggest library of the country, in the middle of the night." 

John shivered. This girl was clever and absolutely brave, totally fond of her beliefs. And she was right about John: he'd never harm her, there was no reason to lie or act tough all of a sudden to impress her; she had already read him very well. 

So he hung his head, apologising. 

"You're right, can't fight with that." He gave her a little smile and was glad to find she was smiling at him as well.

"So… are you coming with me?" She asked once for all, stretching out her arm.

John nodded, firmly shaking her hand. There was no turning back now, and they both felt excited for the upcoming adventure. 

"Now… were you telling me about those spells?" The wizard turned the focus on Ronnie's documents once again.

"Oh, right! I have to learn everything in case the books get ruined -or worse- during the travel. You know, I'm a sort of guarantee. Also it'll be a demonstration of my devotion." She explained and John nodded along.

"And you, what about your books?" She teased, pointing at the books John had put on the table next to him.

"I'm looking for new spells and for… answers, I guess." He opened one of the books and Ronnie was able to read the title just for a second: _'Magick of Thor's thunder'_.

"About… about your scars?" She hinted.

John didn't reply but tightened his grip on the book, his lips clenched and he swallowed loudly.

"Sorry. I didn't want to…" she lowered her head on her documents.

There was still a thin line between them, a line that John wasn't ready to cross yet.

Not that he didn't want to let everything out, to open his heart to her, he was sure she would've listened and maybe found an ease to his pain; he was mostly afraid of hearing certain past events and feelings coming out from his own mouth, hurting himself even more. Also he didn't want to be a burden or have her pity. And so he preferred to keep everything in, as always. 

"No need to be sorry. You're right, I just… don't feel like talking about it." He whispered, hoping to not have offended her. 

He saw a shy smile appearing on her lips and felt relieved. 

"'S ok. I won't force you to speak. But if you need any help I'm here." She whispered softly.

"Same for me." 

The cleric and the wizard kept quietly studying in the library all night, both immersed in their books but giving each other a glance now and then, just to remind their presence. John had his own notebook where he transcribed spells and informations, while Veronica began to memorize her texts whispering them bit by bit. Hours passed and before the sunrise she helped him out the library with the promise to meet again the following night. 

\---*---

Five days before the mission.

It took Roger  _ a century _ to write that letter and if Brian tried to help him, he immediately shushed him. He wanted to write him by himself, it was his duty.

But, by the Gods above, it was difficult. 

He had to explain what happened in the forest, but every time he tried to write about how Tim knocked him down and abandoned him he felt guilty and stupid. And every time he had to tell about Tim's death… he felt rage boiling in his blood and even more guilty. 

At the same time he had to prove to be a brave paladin, promising to complete his assigned mission with success and to have made the right decision in choosing Brian as his new, capable and trustworthy companion. 

He slammed his head on the table, a pile of crumbled sheets next to him and a new, clean paper under his forehead. 

"You can di this, Rog. Come on." He told to himself. 

Meanwhile Brian came back from a little tour of the town. Since he had been shushed way too many times to tolerate it anymore he decided to walk around and find out if there was anything to discover. 

"So?" Roger raised his head from the unwritten letter.

"I was about to ask you the same." The druid replied. "There's nothing really interesting in this city, but I bought some food for the next days. A couple of veggies for me, some fruits for both and dried meat for you."

"Gods, thank you. I had enough of eating grass and yesterday's dinner is still on my stomach." 

"I also have a bad news. But it can turn to our favour."

"I hope so… what is it?" He groaned.

"I talked with a hawk and then to some villagers, seems like the bridge that connects this town with the road to Fanose has been damaged, now they're fixing it but apparently it'll take a whole day, maybe two."

"And how could this be a good thing for us?" First half of the men chose for the mission has been killed and now they were also late. Roger couldn't get why this could've been an advantage.

"You have more time to write your letter to the headquarters  _ and _ we'll send another letter to the convent of Fanose, I have my ways to make it arrive there faster than the normal post service."

"Birds or something?" 

"You know, talking with animals is more useful than you can imagine. They're fast and can travel without being noticed or having to take human roads." The druid winked. "So… How's the letter going?"

Roger picked up his pen and wrote a big " _FUCK_ " on the clean paper, then crumbled it and tossed it into the pile of paper.

"I hate to ask for help, but seems like I have to." He bit the pen, snarling.

The Elf nodded with a smile. He offered to help him just to find the right words and let him do the work, and after a while the first letter for the headquarter was ready. 

The druid seemed to be good at everything, Roger felt relieved to have found him, but also a bit jealous. 

"Can I sign it too?" Brian asked. 

"Why? I already wrote your name in it."

"Trust me." And as Roger flipped the paper he signed with _'Brian Harold May'_ , adding a little symbol that the Dwarf had seen only in history books. 

"Whoa, whoa, hold on. Harold May? You told me your name is Brian May."

"Yes, Brian Harold May."

"As in Harold May the legendary fighter, general of the thirty-nineth division of Blackwood?!" The Dwarf almost yelled and Brian quickly shushed him.

"I hate doing stuff just because my father has a name, but this would make your superiors happy to know you have me as your new companion." He sighed, rubbing his temple.

"Wait, let me get this straight. Harold May is your father, but you don't like using his name? Why in the world? You should be honoured!" Roger was now jumping on his chair for the excitement. 

"My father and I had… divergences of opinions. And I won't take advantage of his name, I'm trying to find a way on my own." The Elf crossed his arms and frowned at the Dwarf. "I'm making an exception for you, for this mission. Just that."

The paladin huffed with a bit of disappointment and folded the letter. 

"Is it why you're coming? To find your own way?" He smirked and Brian shook his shoulders. 

"Aaand to run away from Chrissie?" Roger teased.

"Ok, enough personal questions for today, let's inform the convent about our late." Brian rushed to take another piece of paper and write again. He was a bit pissed off by Roger's curiosity, but just because all of what happened with Chrissie was way too personal for him and it was the last thing he wanted to talk about right now. 

As planned, they wrote another letter to the convent of Fanose, this time avoiding gruesome details about the murder and explaining that it's been simply an 'unforseen change of plans' and they would've been a paladin and a druid instead of two paladins, but nothing to worry about. 

"They won't buy it." Roger frowned, reading the finished letter. 

Sure Brian was good with words, he couldn't deny it, but the convent of Fanose was a serious institution, with serious people managing stuff. 

"Do I really have to remind you about my name?" Brian rolled his eyes. "And if they want those documents to arrive safely in Nolfast this is the only way. As I said, this letter will arrive to the convent before the other one will arrive at your headquarters, so the convent will have the news of Tim's murder  _ after _ our departure. I mean, they could chase us, but what for? We'll be already in mission and Tim's death is not our fault anyway, we're not criminals."

The Dwarf stared at his new mate, processing everything. Brian was right, but it was risky anyway… the only thing they could do now was to act nonchalantly in hope to not raise too many questions and complete the mission as successfully as possible. 

"Yes, we can do it." He finally confirmed and the tall Elf grinned. 

They took the letter for the headquarter to the city's post office and then Brian gave the letter for the convent to a hawk.

Roger was fascinated by the druid's ability to communicate with animals as if they were people, even if part of him was still convinced it was weird. 

They decided to spend the rest of the day sparring not far from the town, testing their spells and abilities in a friendly fight against each other. There was an important mission to complete and Brian was a bit out of training since he rarely had to use his druidic magic in combat, but Roger revealed to be an excellent sparring partner.

At the end of the day, the paladin and the druid were drained but very proud of the chemistry that was blooming between them and went to sleep peacefully; all the worries and nightmares of the days before were now long gone.

\---*---

If John had the whole day to rest in the inn, Veronica had just a couple of hours of sleep after the long night of studying and she's been sleepy all day, struggling to stay awake during the prayers and while teaching to the kids. At least the convent's headmistress took it as a sign that the cleric was diligently studying for her mission, so she didn't complain much. 

That night, by the way, Ronnie was incapable to focus on her papers. Just reading and repeating wasn't enough to memorize anything and instead, to not fall asleep, she kept glancing at John who was transcribing his books. 

The lantern's dim light was defining his delicate features and the Half-Elf found herself losing in how his hazel locks framed his face and his thin lips slightly pursed while he was reading. She noticed also two beauty marks, one under his left eye and the other on his chin, also on the left side, both now evident in the shadows. 

If she had been already mesmerized by his kind soul and strong heart, not to mention the mysterious aura he was surrounded with, now she truly noticed how  _ handsome _ he was. Days ago she was too focused on healing his wounds, and then she had that moment of weakness the morning after when she had to remind herself to not fall for the stranger. 

But now he wasn't a stranger anymore and she still felt that grip in her guts that was growing stronger. Was she  _ falling _ again, inevitably?

John felt suddenly observed and when he raised his gaze from the notebook he found her brown doe eyes staring at him, a dark shade of tiredness underneath. 

"Veronica?" He called, but she seemed completely dozed off. He had to call her once again to finally wake her up from her thoughts. 

"W-ha- I'm sorry, I didn't-" she stammered, looking away and moving a strand of hair behind her pointy ear. 

The human let out a chuckle at her awkward reaction, shaking his head. 

"Have you had any sleep?" He asked quietly.

"Not much, honestly…" she whispered and let out a loud sigh.

"Been there as well…" he replied and closed his book with a thud, before moving to sit on the chair next to her. 

Then he grabbed some clean sheets and gave her his pen, while she followed all of his movements with curiosity. 

"Keeping to read and repeat won't work if you can't really  _ read _ , it's just a waste of time. Instead try to copy everything, your mind will memorize it better along with the movement of your hand." He explained and Ronnie felt a bit stupid. She was a teacher, she taught kids how to read and write, but she didn't think of a way to study for herself. The lack of sleep was getting stronger, that was sure.

She thanked the Human next to her and began writing at his side. 

It felt weird: she expected to feel anxious while being so close to him, but a wave of peace and serenity invested her body instead, making her work properly. It was like that morning in his bed, when she couldn't leave his side. She tried to not question it, it was a good feeling after all and there was nothing bad in it…  _ right? _

"You can go on with your studies, I can do this…" she whispered trying to sound confident, but her voice hinted an opposite desire. 

The wizard shook his head. "I've already transcribed a lot of stuff, enough for today. I prefer keeping an eye on you… not to steal any information, mind me, I just want you to be ready for the mission."

She gave him a little smile and went on writing, thanking her god.

And John was telling the truth: he wanted to help her in the mission, but there was also something more. While sitting so close to her he felt again that calm and peaceful feeling he always felt with her presence since that morning they woke up together in the same bed, and then again when she carried him through the magical barrier and it almost felt like a weird hug. A brief contact, but enough to let him know she was there and not just in his imagination.

He didn't really understand what it was, maybe happiness to have found a friend to rely on, maybe the longing for a family he didn't have anymore, maybe just the need to feel close to someone after so long. 

Or perhaps it was all of these and something more, he just didn't know yet.

A couple of hours passed and they kept studying together enjoying each other's company, but Veronica's tiredness was getting stronger until she could barely hold the pen and struggled to keep her eyes open, so they decided it was enough for that night. 

"You really need to rest, Veronica…" he said while she walked past the barrier, unsteadily holding him on her back just for a small step. 

"I know, I know… thank you for tonight, really." She rubbed her tired eyes and playfully nudged him with a shoulder as they walked through the library. 

"No need to thank me, I just wanted to help. Sleep well, so tomorrow we can study better." He replied keeping her steadier with his arm around her waist.

They found out that the way was clear and no one was guarding a side entrance, so they decided to part ways there without the need to climb ropes and jump out from any window. 

The wizard felt the cleric pulling the sleeve of his tunic and turned to look at her.

"Thank you." She repeated and stood on her tiptoes. Just a moment, and he felt her warm lips brushing right between his two beauty marks. 

"Good night, John. See you tomorrow!" She added and walked away, towards the dormitories.

John turned as well, walking silently to the inn. His fingertips travelled right where she left a kiss on his cheek, barely touching his now burning skin.

"Oh shit."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> How will John deal with that small kiss on his cheek? 👀 And what about Brian's newly discovered heritage? Freddie will come back soon as well, I want to keep his aura of mystery for a while again ~


	5. Play the game

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> John and Veronica chit-chat a lot before the mission and play a game to know each other better, while both try to figure out how to handle their feelings. Meanwhile, Brian and Roger are finally able to travel again.   
> In the next chapter the mission will finally begin, sorry if it took so long!

Four days before the mission.

On a boat without oars, that's where John was feeling to be. Sailing along a river and already hearing the waterfall roaring in front of him, ready to swallow him and shatter his boat. His heart beating fast, his mind running like the flow towards the inevitable, while part of him kept suggesting to enjoy it, to go for it and see what happens, maybe he'd survive the fall. 

He tried to sleep, pushing his left cheek on the pillow to suffocate what was left of Veronica's kiss, but his dreams led him back in the library and he was again with her in the dim light of the lantern. She left a kiss on his cheek once again but now he lifted her chin to kiss her... this time on her lips. And she allowed his tongue to taste her with passion, pulling his tunic to keep him closer. And she melted under his touch while the bandages around his chest were gone and she was running her fingertips all along his scars, sending shivers down his neck. 

John opened his eyes to find himself alone in his room, his heart racing in his chest and a tight knot in his guts, somewhere inside his belly. 

He knew it would've happened, it was already happening and the signs were all there, he was just too stubborn to accept them. He cursed through his teeth. 

"Gods, I like her." 

He was still too stubborn to admit to himself that he didn't just _liked_ her.

The morning after, Ronnie woke up well rested and with renewed energy. That day, after the morning prayers and lessons with the kids she reserved some time to read again her notes while the children were having their usual after lunch nap. 

"Veronica!" She heard the headmistress's voice calling her and she raised her head from the notebook.

"Yes, headmistress?" 

"I see you're studying. Very well Veronica, I'm proud of your hardworking." The old lady smiled.

"Thank you, mother." She rarely called that woman _mother_ , it never felt right to her, but she knew the headmistress was glad to be called like that.

"I've copied part of the documents to study them better without carrying the original out of the library every time. I'll get rid of the copies tomorrow morning before leaving." 

"That's very clever of you, I'm more and more surprised." The headmistress complimented her with a motherly pat on her shoulder. "As for the departure…" 

Ronnie raised an eyebrow at the woman's change of tone and a bit of panic began raising in her chest. She prayed with all of herself that no one found out about her new secret friend.

"We received an urgent letter this morning, it was from one of the paladins that will escort you."

The young Half-Elf let her breathe go.

"What happened? I hope nothing bad…"

"He said there has been an unforeseen change of plans and instead of two Paladins of the order of Athena you'll be escorted by a Paladin and a Druid. The latter happens to be the son of the mighty Harold May, so we can consider him as trustworthy as a paladin, but I suggest you to be careful anyway." 

Ronnie's eyes widened. She had read about Harold May in many books about past wars and he was an important figure for all the land, he fought for the royal council and then retired to live with his wife and son, both Elves like him. 

The cleric couldn't believe she was about to travel with that son. Of course she was still more happy for having John at her side, but this seemed an interesting addition. 

"I'll be careful, mother, be sure. I can't hide I'm very excited for this mission." She admitted, blushing lightly. 

"I'm glad, I'm glad… but I haven't finished. In the letter they say a bridge on their way has been damaged and they'll be able to arrive here only in three days. This means that you can study your papers even better for two more nights, but you'll also have to travel faster to arrive at Nolfast in time." 

So, she was about to spend not only tonight but also two more nights in the library with John? Ronnie felt her cheeks burning and tried to hide it as much as she could. She thanked the headmistress and spent the rest of the day waiting for the night to come.

"John! John!" The wizard had just climbed the rope and got in the library when Veronica greeted him cheerfully, being all excited a reason still unknown to him. He had been trying to wipe away the thought of her kiss all day, but now that she was in front of him his mind had gone blank once again.

"I have extremely good news!" She chirped and took his hand to walk him through the library to their usual place. 

"W-what is it?" 

"We received a letter from my protectors, they'll arrive in three days, not tomorrow!" She grinned widely, badly hiding her happiness. 

"That means we have-"

"We have tonight _and_ two extra nights to study and stay together!" 

As she said 'together' John blushed vividly. 

"That's… that's wonderful!" He admitted, doing his best to push the dreams he had about Veronica as far as possible. 

By her side, she seemed oblivious of John's reactions and simply happy for their extra time. 

The truth was that the Half-Elf had completely forgotten about the kiss she gave John the previous night, mostly because she was too sleepy to remember. But she had dreams of it, she dreamed of kissing him again and again and had no idea that one of these happened for real. 

The first hour of studying proceeded without problems, they agreed to make a couple of pauses in between and John even brought a small bag of toasted peanuts, both to make her a little gift and to stay awake a bit longer while eating something. 

Ronnie explained John everything about the Paladin's letter and they planned out the upcoming nights to study first and then take a look at the roads to follow during the mission, deciding on how to meet and what to bring with them.

That night the wizard found a book about alchemical transmutations and even if it wasn't really his kind of magic he found it very useful. 

"I didn't know you were also an alchemist!" Ronnie exclaimed all of a sudden, taking a glance at what he was transcribing.

"I'm not, really, but it's interesting and might be useful for some of my projects." 

"You have projects?" She teased from behind her documents.

"Uh-oh. It's not time for a pause yet!" He pointed at the hourglass they were using to split time. The cleric rolled her eyes.

"It's almost finished, please!"

"Ok, fine…" he sighed.

"I'm- I'm interested in lightnings and electricity, as you should've already figured out. My goal is to mix magic with science to create something new… like machines that could help also those people who can't use magic." The wizard explained but he saw only confusion in Veronica's eyes. 

"See, we use mostly fire as source of light and heat, but thunders are made of light and heat as well, it's just more… wild… but also more powerful. I believe a single thunder could light up the equivalent of thousands of candles all together, and maybe even make machines move automatically. So you know, stuff like that." He hoped this was a bit more clear now and Ronnie lit up at the idea of thousands of candles shining in the darkness at the same time.

It was surely magical, something she could think only spellcasters would've been able to do, and John aimed to bring also this magic to everyone else. And she was mesmerized by how his hands moved while explaining. 

"The problem is that handling lightnings is dangerous, a lot. And I don't want anyone else to get hurt because of it." He stated quietly and Veronica's smile faded. 

"That's why you're studying so hard…" she murmured.

"Yes. And I, uh… I'm trying to keep it secret." 

Ronnie knew there was a lot more behind this story, but she accepted that he needed his time to reveal it, if he'd ever wanted to. So she simply nodded.

"Your secrets are safe here, I promise." 

Hours passed and Veronica was now able to repeat all of her papers, even if with some gaps here and there that she'd have fixed in the following days.

When it was time to leave, John hesitated to turn his back and go down the window. He was unsure of what to do, he just knew he wanted to do _something_. 

Waiting for her to kiss him again was too awkward, especially since she seemed to have forgotten about it and was now staring at him with questioning eyes. Kissing her on the lips? The temptation was strong, but he would've scared her for sure, it was too early, too sudden.

So he decided to take her hands in his, nervously running his thumbs on her skin.

"John, is everything ok?" She tilted her head while blushing softly in the darkness.

"No, uh, I mean… yes. You know I'm really happy to spend this time with you and I can't wait to travel t-together, that's all…" there was a lump in John's throat, as if all his feelings were trapped there, confused and frightened.

"Well, this is mutual, trust me. And I'm glad we have some more time to stay quietly here in the library." Ronnie replied, her eyes fixed on their hands while she tried to collect some bravery.

"I… I know there are things you don't feel like telling me yet, but I'd love to find out more about you. What if tomorrow we'll talk a bit more about ourselves? I'm tired of just reading, repeating and having small talks, even though your company feels already like a blessing." The cleric was surprised of this sudden stream of confidence and for a moment she regretted to have said her thoughts out loud.

"Y-you know, we'll have to travel together soon, so things like what you like to eat or- or your habits, stuff like that!" She stammered nervously staring now at the floor. 

John leaned forward and, still holding her hands, softly kissed her cheek.

A warm feeling ran across her body as if someone had turned on a fire in her chest and she stared at the man in front of her. He seemed as lost as her and tried to cover his red cheeks behind his curtain of hair. 

"S-sounds fine, yes." He whispered, barely audible in the silence of the library. 

She acted instinctively and stepped forward, winding her arms around him and pressing her face against his chest, listening to his racing heart. 

"Thank you, John… have a good night."

"G-good night, Veronica…" John's voice slightly cracked while saying her name and she parted the hug. 

"You can call me just Ronnie if you want." The cleric brushed a strand of hair behind her pointy ear and smiled shyly. 

"Okay, um… 'night, Ronnie."

"See you tomorrow!" She waved and waited for him to climb down the rope. 

Ronnie had to have a good talk with his deity.

\---*---

Three days before the mission.

That day Ronnie asked the headmistress for a free day to prepare her stuff for the mission and most of all to connect with his god without other duties. 

While being in a state of total peace, meditating under a tree, she asked him lots of questions, mostly about the worries of her heart.

At this point it was clear that there was something deeper going between John and her; she always had many friends of every race and gender in the convent and most of them were like a family to her, while all of this was something completely new and unknown. It was strong and it was getting stronger.

She read many times about love in legends and books, there were thousands of way to experience love and all of them fascinated her, even if the rules imposed by her clergy prohibited her to commit to anyone else other than her god.

Was it _love_ that she was feeling for John? Or was it just a stupid girl's infatuation? 

Ronnie has always been one of the best cleric of the convent: well-mannered, patient and severe enough with the kids, able with healing magic and faithful towards her god and her church. 

But there has always been also an instinct, an innate drive to curiosity inside of her. A voice often suggesting her to break the rules, to run and discover the world, to connect with her deity in her own unique ways. 

Like meditating under a tree and not inside of the church like everyone else.

It wasn't rebellion, simply some impositions weren't made for her.

So she asked Ilmater about John, if their meeting meant something, if he allowed her love or she would've been damned for it. Not about breaking other people's rules, no, just about her and her god. 

If there was something she was sure about, it was that her connection with Ilmater was pure and he was kind with her, protecting her as a daughter but also listening to her like a friend. 

When Veronica opened her eyes again the sky was painting with lilac and purple, ready for the darkness to come. The Half-Elf exhaled deeply and a little smile rose on her lips, now she could see some light on her path.

John spent the day in his room at the inn, divided between re-reading his notes and struggling to understand what to do with Veronica. No, _Ronnie_. 

It wasn't the first time he was attracted to a girl, but she managed to touch strings that he didn't even know to have. She didn't give him only butterflies in his stomach, but she felt like home, like family. It was like a sudden hug given in the darkest moment, calm and reassuring.

_"What if tomorrow we'll talk a bit more about ourselves?"_ Her voice echoed in his head. He was quite sure her interest wasn't simply about going on an adventure together, no, she wanted to know him better for real. Did she like him? Apparently. Did he like her? A lot. 

John groaned on his notes. This story was leading him to an unexplored path, a path he was quite afraid to follow. He realized that the redhead Half-Elf was on the same situation, maybe even less experienced and more afraid than him. 

He thought about the hug she gave him as a response to his kiss on the cheek; sure it's been awkward, but it was warm and he wished it lasted longer. 

Looking at the setting sun out of the window, John mentally accepted her request to talk more that night, to reveal more about each other, to seal the bond that has been formed between them since the first night they met. 

After the first hour spent properly studying, as planned, Veronica put her documents away and jumped to sit on the table, surprising John. 

"What are you…?" 

"We always do this when a new cleric arrives in the dorm: lay on the floor and play a game. But the floor there is made with wood, here it's terracotta, too cold." 

"And the table is comfy?" John raised an eyebrow.

"Much more than the floor." 

"And where do I lay?"

The cleric blinked a couple of times and stared at the wizard before patting her hand next to her.

"There's room for two on this table." 

John chuckled at how innocent she sounded while saying that and shook his head.

"Am I allowed to stay sit here instead?" He was still on his chair as she laid on the table, using the soft cover of a book as a pillow. Now they were looking at each other, their heads few inches apart.

"Mh, okay. The game is easy: one question each, alternate. If a response raises more questions in your head you have to save them for the next turn." She explained.

"Right. What if I don't want to answer?" 

"You have three safe points to skip the answer, so save them carefully. If you skip and don't have any points left I'll have to cut a strand of your hair." 

"Is that why you have short hair?" The wizard joked and Ronnie's crystalline laugh filled the library's prohibited section.

"No, silly! The clerics here can't have hair past their shoulders, it's one of the rules. Honestly I'd hate to cut your long hair, so be careful…" she unconsciously ran her fingers through John's waves and noticed how soft they were. He let her play with his hair for a while, allowing her fingers twirl around his strands and gently comb them. It was another way to bond, to know each other.

"Let's start, you go first." She gave him the honour of the first turn.

"Uhm… you're an Half-Elf." He stated.

"That's not a question…"

"I know, let me finish. You're an Half-Elf, but born among other Half-Elves or are you a so said 'first generation'?" John was aware of the dual nature of Half-Elves and how they struggled to be recognised as a race instead of 'natural mistakes'. It took ages for them to create communities and leave their Elven and Human roots behind, now most of the Half-Elves in the land were born from other Half-Elves. 

"I'm a direct hybrid. Mother was an Elf, father a human." Ronnie replied in a mechanical voice, staring at the ceiling with an expression that John couldn't read. As he imagined, that was an interesting and unexpected information. 

"How old are you?" She asked. 

"I'm twenty. Born under the constellation of the Lion. You?"

"Twenty one, celebrated… two moons ago, if I recall it right. Aquarius." The Half-Elf turned her head aside to look at John and grinned. "I'm older than you!"

"Just a little, but yes-" John propped himself on the elbows, glancing at the girl. He was aware that an Half-Elf can live for around 180 human years and for a moment he wondered if they were going to grow old together. He blinked a couple of times and she asked her next question.

"Since when have you been studying magic?"

"Since I was seven. My father taught me." He immediately shot back his next question, barely giving the cleric enough time to think about his answer.

"How did you arrive here in the convent?"

Veronica turned again to look at the ceiling and stretched up her arms, inhaling sharply and hesitating.

"My mom brought me here few days after I was born. She was a prostitute and I was an illegitimate child, this was the only proper way to raise me." 

John tensed on his seat and he felt his heart sinking, suddenly heavy, while the girl rested her hands on her belly and gave him a sad smile. He saw acceptance in her eyes and a badly hidden solitude. 

"I'm sorry…" he mouthed, lowering his head. Until now he had been listening only to his own story and never imagined that the solar and lovely girl in front of him was living a pain so similar and yet so different from his. 

He felt a soft hand resting on his cheek.

"It's not your fault, John… somehow I learned to live with it and I've found some comfort in my faith for my god." She whispered. 

"Since we're already on delicate topics… can I ask you why do you cover your scars?" The cleric rolled on her side to face him better.

With a frown, the wizard ran a hand around his neck and nervously scratched his bandages.

"I don't want people to ask me about them. They bring up… memories that I don't want to share." 

She nodded, perfectly aware of what he was talking about, and prepared her next question in her mind. 

The human poked his lower lip with a thumb, thinking of what to ask her. At the moment, more and more questions rose in his head; he wanted to find out everything about her and protect her during the mission more than ever. 

"Can you… tell me a bit about you and your deity? I don't know much about Clerics' magic and… that kind of spirituality."

"Uhm, how to explain it?" She seemed more at ease now and rolled again on her back. "I've been raised here so I've been praying since I was very little. They taught me prayers, chants, legends about Ilmater and the other gods. He's the god of those who suffer and is ready to suffer himself to protect and save others. I've asked him many questions and I still rely on his guidance, but our conversations are… it's not like talking to a person or writing a letter, you know. It's not words, but feelings. I can't really explain it, it's like when you dream. But he helped me to deal with my pain and my troubles, for real." Ronnie glanced at the wizard, he was carefully listening at her, doing his best to understand.

"One day I began to show some magical powers like healing and creating light, and I knew they were a gift from him, so I've been officially chosen as a Cleric from the convent's high priest. A big ceremony and lot of boring stuff… being honest, what matters to me is just my bond with my god, the chance to take care of lost kids like me and to heal who's in need, everything else is a white elephant, as people say." She suddenly raised her index in front of John's eyes.

"Don't tell anyone I said this! Ilmater forgive me…" the cleric raiser her eyes and John chuckled, shaking his head and thinking at her rebellious side that was peeking out.

"How many people have seen them? Your scars, I mean." Ronnie still had had her question on the tip of her tongue and shot it out. "You can skip it, if you want…" she added quietly.

John's breath hitched, but he decided to answer anyway.

"M-my mother, my sister and… you, by now."

Veronica shot up and sat on the table, her mouth agape. 

She couldn't believe she was the first person out of his family to see his scars and now figured out how important this matter was to him.

"S-seriously?" She stammered, not caring about the game's rules. 

"Almost… I mean, only another person, a healer, once saw them and flooded me with questions, he wanted to call other medics and magicians to show them my scars as if I were an object on showcase. It was at the beginning of my travel and I decided to hide them to everyone else. These make me a freak, I should've been dead because of these."

John's fists clenched and he tried to suppress the storm of thoughts that was beginning to roar in his mind.

"I know you have more questions. Go on." He looked at her.

The cleric swallowed, staring at his eyes now more gray than ever. The game was over.

"Why me?" 

His expression softened, he was once again expecting her to ask about his accident, how he got them and what else happened that made him so deeply uncomfortable, but she chose to not force him in to that conversation, she knew he still needed time for that.

"I don't know, really. Maybe because you were the only one who noticed me and came to aid, maybe it was your immediate kindness towards me, a complete stranger. And when you took off my bandages you didn't ask, just healed my other wounds. I just… I just _knew_ I could've trusted you." He felt his cheeks warming up while he talked and his voice softened once again.

"Yes… I've already told you I felt the same. And I'm glad we met, John, truly." The cleric placed a hand on his and smiled at him.

"This mission… it's not just a delivery for you, am I right? There's something more." He asked, trying to go on with the game.

At his question Ronnie shifted a bit on the table to sit better next to him, now with her legs hanging down. She bit her nails, unsure on how to reply.

"You see… the connection with my deity is something that exists just between the two of us, it gives me a meaning, while… these big walls, these strict routines, all the rules they put on me… have nothing to do with my spirituality and they don't have anything more to teach me." She shook her head and lowered her voice, almost afraid to hear her own words.

"It's been nice to stay here and I don't regret it, but this is not how I want to live the rest of my life, honestly. Maybe this mission is a chance to understand myself better, to see if I can do anything else with my powers..." 

John knew it perfectly, she was needing a chance to pick up her life and move on. He was running away from his past, she was looking for her future. 

"Ronnie?" 

She looked down at the wizard. Her hand was still close to his and he took it slowly, holding her fingers while his eyes trailed from her wrist to her face.

"I'm with you." 

Her eyes lit up and she couldn't help but giggle, warm happiness filling her heart.

"You're a blessing, John, really!" She jumped down from the table and gave him a hug, this time less awkward than the last one, and he welcomed it with joy. That ray of sunshine was back, all thank to his support. 

"I think it's time to end the game, what do you think? You're?" She kindly asked.

John nodded with a smile. "Kinda, yes… I'm happy we had this talk." 

"Me too. Thanks for opening up a little with me even about hurtful topics, I know it's hard…" 

"Eventually you'd have known, there was no reason to hide it. Maybe one day I'll be ready to tell you the whole story, I hope." He looked away, his eyes losing in the library’s dark corridors.

"Today was enough, don't worry. I still have lots of things to tell you as well, but we have a long trip ahead so why should we hurry?" Ronnie glanced at him with a smile and he seemed to come back to reality.

The hourglass on the table was over, they had no idea of how much that night had lasted, but they were both too overwhelmed by each other's revelations to study again, so they decided to end the session and go to sleep. 

"Tomorrow will be the last night…" Ronnie considered while leading John at the window. "I'll repeat my documents the last time during the day, so we'll plan the trip during the night, what do you think?"

"It's a good idea, yes." 

"So… goodnight?"

The Human hesitated to climb down the rope and instead turned again to face her, nervously rubbing his arm.

"Uhm, Ronnie, I was thinking… last night I- I hope I didn't freak you out with that- that kiss…" 

The cleric felt herself blushing while her mind travelled back to that moment and she lowered her head. She thought also at her conversation with her god and at what they agreed was the best decision.

"I'd lie if I said I didn't enjoy it…" she confessed. "But I think we… we should slow down. I like you, John, but there are decisions I have to take very carefully." Ronnie took his hand, running her thumb on his knuckles. 

"You… like me?" For a moment he thought he misheard it.

She shrugged with a sad smile. That was what she had been realizing in the past days, she couldn't deny it anymore and it was also the topic of her last spiritual conversations.

She nodded imperceptibly and heard John swallowing. 

"Well, then I think-" he began hesitantly, but Ronnie stopped John's stammering placing an index on his mouth and stared at him with sad eyes.

"No, don't say anything. Please… trust me when I say it's better if we keep behaving just… just like friends. For a while, at least. Sorry John, really." She stated seriously.

He felt his heart clenching and a heavy emptiness filling his lungs once again. He had just accepted his feelings and she confessed she liked him too, then why was the conversation ending up like this?

"Wai- for how long?" There was a hint of desperation in his voice, as if everything was slipping off his fingers, as always.

The girl frowned and cupped his cheeks with both her hands, trying to give him some comfort. 

"Until I'm sure we won't get hurt by others. Until we're in a safer place. We just have to be patient…" 

John closed his eyes and let her hands' warmth spread from his face to his heart.

He understood there was the chance she got in trouble for having a relationship and he couldn't let it happen. He couldn't let anyone hurt her because of him. ' _Be patient, John, be patient…'_

"Okay…" he whispered sadly.

"Thank you." She stood on her tiptoes and kissed his left cheek, like the first time, leaving him stunned once again. 

The wizard was surprised to hear a soft chuckle coming out from her right after and he saw her giving him a cheeky grin.

"I, uhm, I think hugs and kisses on the cheeks are allowed for now. Nothing more, okay?" She playfully poked his arm and blushed, that rebellious side peering out again. It wasn't so tragic after all, the wizard thought, they still had plenty of time together ahead to know each other and travel side by side. To find out if they were really made for each other or it was all an impression. 

And she _officially_ allowed him to hug her.

"Okay. It's okay." The wizard stated and his lips curled in a little smile that she mirrored. 

"Goodnight, then." 

"Goodnight Ronnie." He bowed a little and climbed down the rope.

The cleric let out a sigh and headed to her room, wondering about her future. 

\---*---

Two days before the mission.

"Why don't we cross this forest? Isn't the road shorter?" Veronica pointed at a group of trees on the big map that was unravelled on the table.

"It looks shorter, but it will make your life shorter as well. That place is full of beasts, basically a death trap."

The girl shivered. 

"Mmh, ok… that means we'll have to go here and here…" she ran her finger along another road that circled around that forest.

"It's better, yes." John agreed.

It was the last night they could spend together in the library, the next day her escort was going to arrive at the convent and she won't be able to wander around.

The plan for tomorrow was to meet the paladin and the druid, show them her ideas for the travel and settle the plan with them, plus a good amount of bureaucratic stuff managed by the convent and a religious ceremony to give the bodyguards Ilmater's blessing. After all of that she'd have needed a full night of sleep before leaving early in the morning. 

Just the thought of it made her shiver both in fear and excitement, but right now she was in the library with John and she was feeling again that deep peace only he and Ilmater were able to give her. The previous night's conversation seemed to have made both of them much more at ease next to each other, having settled down some boundaries and a promise for their future.

"I think we can stop in these towns to rest, this city is quite big and we can get some supplies for the travel." The human kept explaining and Ronnie scribbled little annotations directly on the map. 

"This city is awful, stinks of piss and the people hate travellers. I think it's better to camp outside of it." He pointed at another city.

"Already been there?" She chuckled.

"Yes, a couple of years ago. One of the worst cities in this region, in my opinion." 

"You… uhm, you've travelled a lot." Ronnie guessed, pursing her lips.

"Yes, I'd say so. I know most of this area here… and here." He waved his hand over the map. "But I've never been in Nolfast. I know how to get there, though." 

"I'm sorry but… where do you come from?" 

"North-West, it's not on this map. My hometown is called Retseciel, a pretty dull town." The human smiled at her.

"Wow… it's very far…" she tried to imagine how it could've been travelling so much.

"It is, but I travelled a lot also by chariot and boats. Now we'll mostly walk, but I think we could buy some horses if we're in need."

She nodded, imagining herself riding a horse. Everything was new for her, but she was deeply grateful to have someone like John at her side, who was much more expert than her about the world. 

They kept planning the trip, scribbling on the map and mentally preparing for the journey, with the cleric asking lots of questions and the wizard patiently disentangling her doubts. It was probably the quieter night they had until now and it infused a lot of courage in Ronnie's heart. 

Also John felt much more at ease, now aware that the girl was returning his feelings and most of their initial awkwardness was gone. There was still some disappointment about her request to be just friends, but he was doing his best to accept it.

"I can't wait to meet my 'bodyguards', as you called them." She exclaimed after a while. "Specially Harold May's son, the druid, but also the paladin seems interesting! I'd really love to know which deity he's bonded with!"

"I just hope they won't complain about my presence." John confessed, raising an eyebrow.

"Oh, they won't. They'll have to listen to me!" She grinned proudly. 

"Honestly, I really wish they're nice people. I want this mission to be a good memory, not a burden…" she added with a frown.

"Ronnie, I'm sure it'll be a great experience." John whispered to her, resting his hand on her arm to reassure her. 

He oathed to himself to make her mission as better as possible. The outside world was dangerous, ugly and evil, it's been mean with him many times, but she deserved to witness also its good and perhaps her eyes would've been able to see the beauty into the pain, as she did with him. 

At the end of the night, heading out the library for the last time, the young cleric hugged John tighter than she's ever done, squeezing her face against his banded chest and digging her nails in his tunic. 

And he held her tight as well, this time without worries and embarrassment, winding his arms around her petite shoulders and leaving a little kiss on top of her head, as his mom used to do with him so often, a long time ago. 

When they parted, Ronnie looked at him with hazel eyes full of determination. 

He nodded with a proud smile. 

"'Night, John!"

"Night, Ronnie. See you at the rendezvous." 

\---*---

Few hours earlier that day, Brian and Roger were ready to finally cross the newly repaired bridge and reach the convent of Fanose, after a couple of days spent in that meaningless town sparring and training their fighting skills, with the thought of Tim's dead body in that pub still haunting Roger's dreams. 

Now their path was blocked by two fellas with a scimitar in their hands and a rotten grin on their faces, both standing in the middle of the bridge.

"This bridge is ours now, you have to pay if you want to cross it, or we'll tear your throats!" One of them snarled.

Brian lifted an eyebrow, clearly unimpressed. 

By his side, Roger let out an annoyed grunt. 

"Honestly, it's better for you if you just let us pass." 

"You wish, blondie!" The other mocked Roger.

"Oh, your golden elm is almost as pretty as your face, what if we take it?" The first one added, pointing his scimitar towards the paladin.

"What if you fuck off?" Without hesitation Roger drew one of his longswords and Brian flinched next to him. 

"Roger please don't kill them." He whispered and the Dwarf shot him a confused gaze.

"What? Why?" 

Brian shrugged.

"Look at them, they're not even worthy opponents, just throw them in the river and walk away."

"Umph, okay, but I'll still teach these morons a good lesson!" He smirked with fire in his blue eyes.

The paladin dashed forward and rotated his sword against one of the bandits, but he managed to dodge it with an agile jump. Nothing that Roger had never seen, it was common for his foes to use the advantage of their height against him. He twisted his feet and quickly slashed the air, not giving the bandit enough time to block him with his blade. 

Following Brian's request of not killing the bandits, Roger hit the man with the flat of his sword instead of its sharp edge that would've cut his enemy in half. It still hurt a lot though and the bandit let out a shrieking cry, losing his balance and falling down the bridge. 

The other bandit seemed caught off guard by how easily his mate has been defeated and his attack against Brian ended up to be a bit hesitant, so the druid stopped his sword using just his small sickle.

The Elf grabbed the bandit's arm and with a fast movement he pressed his palm against his chest.

A red flame bursted out from Brian's hand, pushing his enemy backwards and right into the river with his friend. 

"Cool!" Roger exclaimed from behind Brian's shoulders and the Elf grinned proudly, putting his sickle back in its pocket.

"Thanks. Seems like the last days' training is bearing fruits." 

"You know I could've cut that idiot in two and it would've been much more spectacular!"

"Leave that for another time…" The Elf shivered at the thought of blood splashing everywhere and Roger laughed while the two crossed the bridge, finally on their way to Fanose. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter's title doesn't refer just as the question game played by John and Ronnie, but also at the fact that finally -for tye 1st time- I "played" DnD to write a portion of the story! Yes, I tried to see if rolling dices for real to write the fight scene is actually a good idea! I think it is, and you? I rolled the dices to hit and for the damages, then I "translated" the result by "roleplaying" writing the actions! It's been fun ~☆ In the next chapter the party finally leaves the convent, headed to Nolfast! How would Rog and Bri react at John's unplanned presence?


	6. Trust issues

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Finally Ronnie's mission begins! Everyone is pretty excited, but obviously things don't go as planned, specially between the boys... Will they learn to trust each other?

Ronnie imagined their first meeting with John as peaceful and friendly as an old friends reunion to have a cup of tea together. 

Instead she was now standing between John and Roger, with the paladin's sword pointed at her throat and aiming to stab the wizard behind her. The tension between the four of them was growing thicker, Brian shot a gelid glare at Veronica and she replied with flaming eyes, while Roger let out a little growl and John swallowed loudly, not really in the position to speak. 

"Sir Taylor, put your sword down." She commanded, but the paladin didn't move a muscle.

"First tell me who the hell is that." He barked.

"I told you: he's a friend of mine."

"Then why wasn't he with us from the beginn- ohh, the convent doesn't know, does it?" The dwarf exclaimed in a suspicious voice.

"They don't and they won't." Ronnie replied seriously, gritting her teeth. 

"Is he a special friend? A boyfriend? Or is this a plan to kill us and run away?" Roger kept teasing and a mischievous grin appeared on his face.

"Fanose's clerics have a chastity vow upon them, they couldn't…" Brian pointed out calmly.

"He's not my boyfriend, he's just a friend! And he's here to help me! Just that!" The cleric replied, her cheeks were now slightly flushed while her fists shaken with anger. 

"Miss Veronica, the two of us should be enough to protect you during the mission." The druid kept his calm tone, but Roger didn't lower his sword yet.

"I know, but he accepted  _ my _ request to come with me. And if I have to be honest, I trust you because I have to, but I trust him much more, because I  _ feel _ to. Now excuse me, put your weapon away." She tried to move the longsword aside with a hand.

"Human. Why do you want to come with her?" Roger yelled at John, who had stayed silent all the time.

"Because I owe her, she helped me and I want to help her in return." He stated.

"Is it true?" Brian glanced at Veronica.

"I swear on Ilmater's name that it's true, John is trustworthy." She replied without hesitation. 

The four of them exchanged deadly serious looks, Brian and Roger tried to find a hint of doubt or a lie in Veronica and John's eyes but they found only determination. 

Slowly, the paladin lowered his sword and then withdrew it.

"Fine. He can come with us, but we'll keep our eyes glued on him. One false step and we'll get rid of him." The dwarf stated and Brian nodded along while hoping deep down to not have to rely for the worst. 

"Okay." John agreed seriously and Veronica felt a shiver down her spine. Probably a hint of rage while trying to accept that her protectors would've needed some time to trust John as much as she did. 

"Yes, fine, but I won't let you hurt him anyway." She said staring directly in Roger's eyes, her challenging tone igniting him once again.

"Listen here, girl, I don't know who you think you are, but-"

"Roger, enough." Brian cut him off before he could've drawn his sword again.

"If miss Veronica trusts him so much then we should do the same. And if he betrays any of us then we'll be ready, but it's pointless to go on with this venom. Perhaps he'll be useful." 

All of them lowered their eyes, letting the sparks of their fight flow away in an awkward and silent agreement.

"Thank you." The Human whispered at Brian. 

"We're not friends yet, John, I'm just being polite. Shall we go now? We've already lost too much time." The Elf pointed at the road and waited for John and Veronica to follow Roger's steps, while the Elf walked at the end of the line.

As the group walked in renewed silence, Ronnie's mind travelled back to few minutes earlier when the three of them were peacefully entering the forest, leaving Fanose behind them. 

Their very first meeting in the convent has been quiet and gleeful, both of her protectors seemed very nice guys determined to help her in the mission. She immediately noticed Roger's strong temper but she didn't expect him to turn so aggressive all of a sudden. And Brian was kind and polite with her, even if he was clearly bothered by John's unplanned presence. That was fair, she told to herself.

While walking behind Roger, though, she felt every possible doubt and fear beginning to creep in her head, tears stung in her eyes and she felt the desire to go back, to hide again in her holy prison and pretend none of this was happening. She wasn’t proud of her behaviour, she was so ashamed about the turn of events.

Next to her, John brushed his hand on her arm, taking her back on earth.

Not caring that Brian was right behind them, she raised her eyes at John who gave her a reassuring smile. 

"Hey, it's going to be all right, ok?" He whispered. 

She nodded, walking a little closer to him.

Behind them, the Elf observed their interaction. He couldn't trust that Human out of the blue, but he seemed to have good intentions and clearly Veronica needed his presence next to her, so Brian decided to not be too harsh while trying to figure out how to consider him. 

\---*---

It was the first time Veronica slept in a forest and she was feeling already drained, her feet were aching like crazy and she was worried about the night. 

Meanwhile, the three guys seemed to know perfectly what to do, even if Brian and Roger were very hesitant to collaborate with John and gave him just small tasks to do. 

The druid prepared four bedrolls using leaves and blankets and lit up a fire in the middle with a simple magic, while Roger was setting some sausages and vegetables to cook on the bonfire. Ronnie observed everything while sitting on the ground in front of the bonfire, feeling a bit useless. 

"Never slept in the woods?" She got startled by John's sudden question and when she looked at him she noticed he was handing her a blanket. 

"No… and I don't really know what to do, sorry…" she apologised, wrapping the blanket around her shoulders while he sat next to her. 

"Don't worry miss Veronica, these first days will be quite easy. We have food, blankets and I'm sure all of us know how to camp, we'll teach you. Right, wizard?" Brian tried to reassure her while also teasing John, who nodded.

"Brian and I will make night shifts to guard the camp." Roger said biting a sausage. 

"I can make one as well." John suggested, taking a sausage for him and one for the Half-Elf. 

"No. First we'll have to trust you,  _ then _ you can make night shifts too." The Dwarf shot back, giving his meal another bite that made Brian groan with disgust. 

John rolled his eyes.

He couldn't blame the druid and the paladin for their distrust, but he wished for it to end soon. It was distressing everyone of them, but specially the Half-Elf girl who hoped so much for her mission to be a good experience and was instead changing her mind. He just wanted her to be happy and enjoy the travel.

"Okay." He agreed, perfectly knowing that if he wanted to make her happy he needed to make the effort of being friendly with them as well.

Brian had just ended his guard duty and he quickly fell asleep in his blanket while Roger sat on his pile of leaves, putting some sticks in the bonfire. 

He heard a huff and saw Veronica's blanket shifting, followed by a quiet whine. He was ready to get on his feet and grab his sword to protect her from  _ whatever _ was scaring her, but when she turned in her bedroll he saw clearly she was crying and shivering, the tears on her cheeks shining at the bonfire's light. 

Ronnie was terrified, fear clutching her in a tight grip and blocking her breath, and her heart was almost exploding in her chest. Every small sound of the forest seemed to roar in her ears and turn into monsters; she was feeling alone and helpless in her blanket, her companions sleeping a mile far from her and his deity seemed unbelievably silent… then a name appeared in her mind as an anchor. 

And it wasn't her God's name, but a man's.

Roger stood up and was about to go and try to comfort her as much as he could, but she didn't notice him at all, instead her eyes were lost in the darkness looking for someone else and, without caring about the Dwarf, she crawled towards the Human that was resting not far from her bed to lay next to him, hiding her face against his shoulder. John rolled on his side, enveloping her with his blanket and finally she fell fast asleep. 

Roger was standing next to the bonfire, thinking about what he had just witnessed. He had a thousand of questions. 

"Roger?" 

A few hours had passed and the first rays of sun were beginning to paint the horizon with a shy purple. Roger was still sitting on his pile of leaves, observing their little campsite and renewing the bonfire from time to time, travelling somewhere with his mind.

"Roger." Brian's voice called him again in a whisper.

"What?"

"Do you want to sleep some more? I can stay up." The druid suggested. He loved meditating in the sunrise and in his days of travelling with Roger he noticed how the blonde struggled to take the early morning shift. 

In fact, he was now yawning widely.

"Mmh okay, thanks." He murmured rubbing his eyes like a kid.

As he laid down and the Elf sat on his own blanket, the latter noticed something different in the campsite.

"Since when they're like that?" He whispered at Roger. 

"Uh? Ah, yes. When I woke up she was crying, she seemed… lost, I think? Before I could've done anything she moved next to him and fell asleep." He explained.

"I see…" Brian looked at the two sleeping cuddled to each other, John's arm protectively around Ronnie's shoulders and her body curled up against his.

"And you didn’t do anything?"

"Uhm, no." The Dwarf was already falling asleep. “I mean, I can’t wake her up and tell her not to sleep there… they didn’t do  _ anything _ , if you know what I mean.”

The Elf nodded, thinking.

"I think we shouldn't be too hard with them. We're here to escort Miss Veronica and if she insists so much on having him with us then let be it. Maybe the Human will be more useful than we can imagine, maybe he's a good lad as she says…"

"If you say so… I'll keep my eyes well open anyway, something about them doesn't convince me." 

Brian furrowed his brows. He couldn't hide he found them  _ cute _ sleeping like that and he shook his curly head as a smile rose on his lips. Roger was now snoring next to him, so he crossed his legs and began listening to the nature around them all.

\---*---

A couple of days had passed and Ronnie was glad that John was beginning to get along with her bodyguards, even if he was always very quiet unlike them and, as she expected, he dodged every personal question about his background or why his chest was enveloped in bandages. Brian and Roger were still reluctant to trust him enough to let him look after the campsite alone at night, but some steps have been made anyway since they stopped threatening or teasing him. 

By her side, Ronnie began to feel more confident and surely safer surrounded by three protectors, even though John was the one who was helping her self-confidence more than the others; just knowing he was there would’ve soothed all her worries. Also Roger and Brian were a lovely duo and despite the first difficulties she enjoyed their presence a lot.

The weather had always been warm and not too cloudy and the woods around them had never attempted at their lives, which was a good sign since they had at least two days of walk before arriving in the first city. 

While travelling Brian taught Ronnie about some kinds of trees and animals she'd never seen, which plants were poisonous and which were edible and some extra curiosities; she remembered something from books, but seeing everything in real life was completely different. 

Sometimes, after a new discovery, she went to John and talk about it and he'd listen with interest. She was shining like he's never seen before, not even when she was playing with the kids in the town's square, and that feeling of warmth and family she radiated kept growing in his heart, mesmerising him.

That night Roger decided that John would've taken a night shift with him, whereas he didn't fully trust him yet but finally opted to give him a chance. John was still upset about that treatment but he accepted and after dinner, when Brian and Ronnie fell asleep in their blankets, the wizard and the paladin sat in front of the bonfire in an awkward silence. 

"Seems like she can't sleep without you, hm?" Roger broke the ice nodding at the Half-Elf who was already deeply asleep at John's side, very close to his thigh. In the past days she had panicked again at night, his closeness was the only option to make her sleep peacefully.

"I didn't expect that either. But she told me she feels safer like this, she wasn't used to sleep alone." John's reply was calm and collected as he tried to ignore the Dwarf's mocking tone.

"I bet she didn't sleep so close to her roommates in the convent, though." The blonde remarked with a grin.

"She had a roof above her head and four walls around her." The human replied seriously and Roger tensed.  "Listen, whatever problem you have with me just stop being a jerk. I'm not here to fight." John gave Roger a deadly stare while trying to not raise his voice. This seemed to be the right moment to face each other without ending in blood.

"You know, it's just that you weren't supposed to be here, first of all." The paladin shot back.

"The druid wasn't supposed to be here as well, how do we put that? She told me about that 'unforeseen change of plans', that the original team was of two paladins and he's here just because he's got a name that's considered  _ trustworthy _ . What if he wasn't who he is? If he was just a random Elf?" John glanced at Brian, who was sleeping at the opposite end of the campsite. 

"Yes, that was a lucky coincidence, but if he weren't Harold May's son he would've been here anyway, under my official word." Roger proudly tapped his chest.

"And may I know why?"

"Because I trust him, he saved my life. He’s a good mate, I can consider him my friend." He stated.

"Veronica saved my life as well, when no one else would've done that. I was dying and she healed me even if I was a complete stranger, risking her own safety... And now I've promised to protect her life at all costs." 

The Human stared fiercely in Roger's blue eyes and Roger sustained his glance, both analysing each other.

"Seems we're both tied with our companions..." The blonde scoffed, finally surrendering. "But I can see there's a little difference between Brian and I and you and the girl, right?" He continued but his tone was much more serious now.

"Not your business." John lowered his eyes on the Half-Elf next to him and felt his cheeks blushing.

"It  _ is _ my business since I  _ officially _ have to look upon her."

"All I can say, if that reassures you, is that we promised to be just friends. I won't touch her without her permission." He clenched his fist and rested it on his lap, fighting the temptation to caress her hair. 

His own words burned in his throat; admitting out loud about their promise hurt more than expected and he tried to swallow that knot. It was for the best, it was for her safety.

Roger nodded silently while looking at John's grey eyes losing in his thoughts and opted for not bothering him anymore. After all he's been saved by Brian and the Elf has been at his side in the past weeks more than Tim has ever done in many years, it didn't take them long to trust each other and it must've been the same for John and Veronica. It was evident that there was a different bond between them, but Roger understood that it wasn't so funny to tease them about it exactly as Brian didn't want to be teased about Chrissie in their discussions. 

"Hey mate." He nodded at John and shrugged. "Sorry for being a jerk." 

"It's ok, you were testing the ground. Understandable." The wizard attempted a little smile and Roger did the same now that some pieces of the puzzle just got together. Though, he still had thousands of questions.  


  
\---*---

In the morning the group of travellers found itself surrounded by dark trees, very similar to the deep forest that tried to swallow Roger, if not even darker and creepier. The daylight struggled to filter through the leaves and there was no sign of chirping birds or curious lizards on the branches. 

"You sure this is the right way?" Ronnie's voice trembled and she clutched at John's arm. 

Roger looked at the map and frowned.

"Yeah, it should be… the forest is deeper than signed on the map, though. Let's walk faster and we'll get out sooner."

"Maybe the map is old and the forest has overgrown in the last years." Brian suggested, brushing his long fingers on a trunk.

"Are you scared?" John asked to the young cleric and she shook her head, denying stubbornly. 

In her mind, Ronnie prayed for her God's protection as a deep fear rose in her guts.

They kept walking in the deep of the forest for hours and hours and the concept of time began fading. For how many hours have they been there? Even Brian seemed confused and he had to stop every now and then to look around and try to communicate with the trees. There wasn't any animal to talk with and the druid's shapeshifting ability was a resource they preferred to save for a real emergency. 

"This bloody forest is too silent, I'm getting mad!" Roger grunted all of a sudden and kicked a stone on the path. Ronnie reacted with a giggle at first but then she realised with horror he was right, the forest was completely silent except for their footsteps. 

"M-maybe we should sing a song?" She suggested in a whisper and Roger snorted.

"I can't sing…" John murmured, a bit ashamed.

"It's ok, you don't have to be perf-" Brian suddenly clamped a hand on Ronnie's mouth and shushed her.

"What now? There are no sounds in this fucking place!" Roger yelled but Brian put his other hand on his mouth too. 

John tensed his ear and noticed the Elf was right: he heard something as well. 

"Steps?" He whispered and the Elf nodded. 

The group stood frozen in place waiting for another sound and darting all their eyes all around. John cursed his Human nature that was giving him a little disadvantage in the dark, as all his three companions had a better sight. 

Another rustle, this time louder, and the group stepped closer with Veronica in the middle shielded by the guys' backs. Roger drew both his swords and John mentally prepared some spells to use while Ronnie began praying frantically in her head.

An ominous cry tore the silence apart and a dark mass appeared through the trees. The adventurers saw someone running in their direction and something  _ big _ was chasing them, stomping its feet and shrieking with rage. 

"For Bismillah, run! RUN!" The unknown man bumped directly in Brian's arms and shook his shoulders. "There are two of them and they're angry, run!"

"Two of wha-" Roger snarled before noticing the man's horns and glowing yellow eyes, then his purple skin and the demonic tail enveloped around his leg. 

"You're a Tiefling!" He growled, a fierce hate rising in his chest at the thought that he  _ could've been _ the exact Tiefling who killed Tim, even if he didn't know. But before he did anything a huge bear with the head of an owl and wings sprouting from its paws appeared in front of them and attacked the Tiefling with its sharp claws, tearing his sleeve apart.

Without hesitation Brian dashed a hand in front of him and as he muttered "Frostbite" a frozen ray hit the beast's front leg. The Owlbear screeched but didn't react in time to stop John, who casted two Scorching Rays that burned the creature. 

Veronica has never been in the middle of a fight and was confused and scared, worried for her life and her companions'. 

"Ronnie, go hide behind that tree and be prepared to heal us!" John yelled at her and she obeyed, shutting her eyes for a moment and recalling her healing spells. When she glanced again at the battlefield, another Owlbear came out from the trees right behind the first one and it was even bigger.

The Tiefling tried to attack it as soon as he could, casting two Eldritch Blasts, but his wounded arm gave up and one of them hit the ground. The other one managed to hit the creature right in its eye though and it roared in pain. 

Roger took advantage of it and dashed with fury against the bigger Owlbear using both his longswords. The beast tried to hit him blindly with its claws, but the Dwarf slid underneath it slashing its belly and its legs in a single movement. 

"Nice move!" John yelled raising his eyebrows with surprise.

Behind her tree Ronnie gagged at the gorey sight, her guts tightened and she had to look away.

But the Owlbear was still alive and with a last desperate attempt it managed to hit Roger, piercing his armor with its sharp beak. 

"Fuck!" He growled stepping back.

Meanwhile the other Owlbear let out an ear-shattering cry and reversed its fury against Brian, hitting his leg with its claws and biting his arm with the beak. 

The druid fell down and yelled, but had enough strength to put his hand on the creature's muzzle and attack it again with Frostbite. The Owlbear stepped back, trying to shake the ice from its head while Brian was panting on the ground, pressing a hand on his arm. 

"Gods, I don't want to kill-" he muttered, gritting his teeth. 

"Brian!" Veronica got out from her hiding spot and ran next to him, ready to aid.

"Ronnie, wait-!" The Owlbear smelled her scent and was ready to attack, but John stepped between them and, facing the creature, he stretched his hands out. 

Electric sparks began crackling from his fingers and Ronnie saw his eyes glowing with energy while the lightnings ran through the monster's body, electrocuting it. 

But it wasn't enough to kill it and, even if weak and burned, it walked towards them with anger and the other wounded Owlbear seemed to be ready to attack Roger once again.

It was then that Ronnie shut her eyes and screamed at the top of her lungs. 

White light shone from her whole body and all of them had to close their eyes to not get blinded, while the two Owlbears' shrieks filled the air.

Then the forest was silent again.

When they all opened their eyes, the creatures were dead on the ground, their orbits empty and bleeding.  At that sight Ronnie hid her face in her hands, shivering and struggling to believe what she had just done.

"W-what was that?" John kneeled next to her, trying to calm down her sobs.

"I think it was a  _ 'Word of Radiance' _ " Roger explained, walking around the dead Owlbear and getting closer to the rest of the group. 

The cleric nodded, still shocked.

"I… yes, it's that, I've known it for a while but I've never used it, I've never needed it. Did I… did I kill them?" She asked in disbelief. 

"Seems exactly like that." John took her hand and give it a little squeeze. "My spell wasn't enough, but you did amazing." 

Ronnie, though, didn't seem so excited about it. Next to her, Brian let out a pained sigh and caught her attention once again.

"Sorry Brian, let me see…" 

He had a couple of scratches on his leg and a bleeding hole in his left arm where the Owlbear's beak pierced him. Ronnie placed her hands upon the wound on his arm first and then on his leg and both healed after few seconds. John admired her healing magic once again, memories hitting him as he stared at her focused expression and glowing hands. A little voice in his head wished to be the one in need of a healing spell instead of the druid, but he tried to silence it.

"Thank you Miss Veronica, your healing skills are great." 

"Thank you too, Brian. Here, the bite will take some more time to heal but I think it's ok for now, I'd love to get out of here as soon as we can…" she wrapped a cloth around Brian's arm and got on her feet, stepping towards the unknown and hurt Tiefling that stumbled among them.

Suddenly Roger slid one of his swords between Ronnie and the half-demon. His armor was damaged by the creature's beak but his wound wasn't deep and he seemed not to care about it.

"I'd love to get out of here too, milady, but first I have a question for this demon."

He stared at the Tiefling with burning eyes and the latter sustained his glare with a renewed smirk.

"Who are you?" The paladin whispered. 

"My name is Frederick Mercury of the House Bulsara. And I already know what's your next question... Yes, I killed your  _ buddy _ Tim." 

Roger's body completely froze and Brian let out a loud gasp, while John and Ronnie shared a confused look.

The Tiefling kept his eyes on Roger and gave him a toothy smile.

"A shitty comrade, really. You can thank me later."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prepare for the angst! Oh, Roger won't be happy at all...   
> \---  
> Once again I rolled some dices to outline the fight, except for the end where I wanted Ronnie to kill the monsters. They were already basically dead to be honest tho hahah  
> As always, comments and critiques are always appreciated, let me know your thoughts about the chapter!


	7. Guaranteed to blow your mind

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Frederick is here and Roger struggles to deal with him. Everyone do, actually, since the Tiefling likes to play with them like a good actor. Ronnie is the mom friend everyone needs.  
> Warning for this chapter: Roger and Freddie curse a lot hahah

Roger's brain went completely blank, his body unable to move. He had been thinking of what to do in case of meeting Tim's killer, but now he wasn't so sure about it. In his dreams he chopped his head off most of the times, the alternative was thrusting both of his swords directly in his chest like a skewer. Now he was just staring in the Tiefling's golden eyes. 

"Why?" Brian's voice broke the silence, asking the exact same question that Roger was unable to pronounce.

"Wait, he killed _who_?" John, more confused than ever, was trying to understand, instinctively winding his arms around Veronica's shoulders to protect her from any harm. His question was unnoticed by the druid and the paladin, who had their eyes glued on the Tiefling.

The demon shook his shoulders.

"I thought it was pretty clear."

"WHY DID YOU KILL HIM?!" Roger exploded with rage and shoved his blade against the ground, then he pointed it at his throat, lifting Freddie's jaw. 

The Tiefling clicked his tongue with a smirk.

"Didn't you read what I wrote on him? He was a traitor, proud of his filthy actions, talking at your back and mocking your Dwarven nature. A sewer rat decaying in a cesspool of pride." 

Roger felt his blood boiling in his veins, pictures of his comrade laughing and smiling at him appeared in his mind. It was all fake then. At his side, Brian was slightly shivering; all of Roger's doubts and fears were being confirmed in front of his eyes and he knew the Dwarf was about to lose control. That would've blown up their main task and he was sure Veronica wasn't ready to witness a manslaughter in front of her eyes. He had to be ready to eventually calm him down and find a peaceful solution.

Roger slid his blade further against Frederick's jawline and even if he was shaking with rage his hands were steady, precise.

"Why. Did you. Kill. Him?" The Dwarf hissed, his curiosity winning over his desire to kill. He wanted to know. 

"He was an asshole. You should've seen his eyes, how joyful he was for having knocked out and abandoned his friend, he couldn't wait to finally make a mission without you. _'Without having to wait him and his short legs, without having all the girls stolen because of his pretty, unnatural face. He's not proper even as a Dwarf!'_ " The Tiefling imitated Tim's voice perfectly. "Trust me, I did you a favour, he was the worst comrade I've ever seen. And he was even supposed to be a _Paladin_ , what a dick!"

Roger swallowed loudly, everyone else looked at him in silence.

He wanted to scream, to tear down the whole forest and run into Hell just to find Tim's soul and dive his blade through his guts. He felt such an idiot for having been so blind at Tim's actions, he felt betrayed once again after his abandonment in the forest, cold running up his neck in horror. Part of him was suggesting that the warlock did him a favour after all and lifted him from that burden, but still… that warlock was a killer. And Roger was a paladin, aiming to do the right thing even if his dead comrade was the worse paladin ever. 

He glared at Frederick's eyes, a wave of sudden consciousness washed upon him.

"Brian, tie him up." He commanded and the Elf moved his lips trying to reply, but then just nodded and waved his hand in front of him. With a spell he summoned a whip made of thorns and enveloped it around the Tiefling who, thanks to Roger's blade pointed at his throat and the Owlbears' wounds, was barely able to move. 

"Stop grinning, demon. I don't give a fuck if my comrade was a moron, you killed a Paladin of the order of Athena. I'll bring you to the martial court."

"Oh, that's surely a fair thing to do, what a good paladin are you." Freddie chuckled, his playful smirk still on his lips as he was having a lot of fun.

"Shut up." Roger spat and kicked his leg, where the Owlbear had wounded him.

Frederick yelped but then let out another laugh.

"I'm sorry, I didn't thank you for saving me from those Owlbears earlier. I was singing alone in this forest and they attacked me, I've been lucky to meet you! Specially that pretty Half-Elf, what are you, a cleric? A sorceress?" He winked at Veronica who shuddered and stepped behind John.

"Shut the fuck up, you're not our friend!" The Dwarf barked again and began dragging Freddie by the ropes, following the path.

Without saying a word, John stepped forward and placed a hand on Frederick's forehead, between his horns.

"Ooh, silent and mysterious, who are you?"

"Sleep." 

The Tiefling's head dropped on his shoulders and, as John commanded, he fell asleep.

"Thanks, it was unnerving." The paladin said and kept on walking. "Now let's go out this damn forest." 

It took them an awful amount of time to finally see the sky once again and the sun was already setting, so they needed to prepare for the night very quickly. They were drained after the fight, the forest's mysterious vibes had stressed them out and now they also had an extra weight to carry. 

Roger walked silently while Brian explained the whole story about Tim and Roger, how he helped the Dwarf in the woods and how they made the terrible discovery of Tim’s death few days later on the road to Fanose. Now Veronica and John could understand why Roger was so reluctant in trusting the Human and what was causing him so much inner trouble. 

"I think bringing him to the court is the right decision…" she broke the silence later at dinner, around the bonfire. That night she decided for a vegetarian meal like Brian, her guts were still tangled for having killed the beasts earlier but Roger was her main concern right now. 

"Of course, I'm not like him." The blonde Dwarf replied harshly while biting a piece of meat.

"I'm sorry for what happened, really."

"Oh, it's none of your fault, Miss Veronica. But thanks anyway." 

"I know you wanted to kill him, Rog, I'm glad you didn't." Brian said, giving him a sad smile.

"I don't need your approval, Elf... You know I'm not a crazy homicidal." The paladin munched another piece of meat and tossed a bone in the bonfire with an annoyed grunt. "Fuck."

"You're thankful." John said out of nowhere and everyone turned to him.

"Excuse me?"

"You're thankful he punished your supposedly-friend, specially after you found out what he did. That's why you didn't kill the Tiefling. Now you prefer to let others deal with his actions." He explained, revealing to everyone exactly what Roger has been thinking.

"Don't you DARE to play tricks with me, Human!" His voice got louder and raspier with anger.

"I'm not, I'm just stating the truth. Seeing the trust of a beloved one crumbling in front of your eyes is always hard. You always wish some sort of punishment for them at first, then you just want them to apologise and move on… this time the punishment has arrived first." He said coldly and Veronica noticed how hard he was trying to detach himself from his own words. She lowered her head wondering what happened to him, who had betrayed his trust.

Scoffing, Roger picked up the pierced chestplate of his armor and began hitting the metal trying to fix it, also to let out some of his rage. Because John was right.

"I didn't want Tim to fucking die. Especially not by the hands of a stranger. We always joked about dying in battle, like fool heroes or something… He was my _friend_." he punched his armor stronger. 

At his side, Brian let out a sharp sigh. He remembered about the conversation they had the night they found Tim dead and how it was affecting the blonde. Meeting the killer was completely unexpected and none of them had idea of how to deal with it.

"I think you… you should treasure the time you spent together instead." Veronica suggested, hopefully trying to help. 

Rog silently pouted his lips.

"Thinking back it's clear how he made it all about himself. I was just his sidekick for him and I didn't even realize that. Maybe the wizard is right, maybe it's better like this..." he muttered.

"Sooo... are you thankful or not?"

Everyone's head snapped towards the Tiefling that was now wide awake: John's spell ended and he had been able to listen part of their conversation. 

Roger jumped up and grabbed the Tiefling's collar, snarling few inches from his face.

"You shouldn't have killed him. It was none of your business, I should've handled it myself!" His temper and rage blinding his mind once again.

"The way you've always done? Being his sidekick?" Frederick's voice was incredibly serious now, no sign of the playful tone he used few hours later. It was as if a completely different person was facing Roger. 

"Fuck you!" The Dwarf spat and tossed the Tiefling on the ground. "I'm not anyone's sidekick!"

"Not anymore, thanks to me!" 

"Shut the fuck up!!!" The blonde roared out loud.

With the sharp point of his tail, Frederick cut the vines that were tying him up and jumped backwards, out of Roger's range.

"Oh no, you're not going anywhere!" Brian quickly conjured his thorn whips again and blocked the Tiefling, who cursed.

John rushed forward and pressed his palm against Frederick's forehead to make him sleep, but the Tiefling squirmed and tried to bite him. 

"What in the-" John hissed, retreating his hand fast enough.

"That won't work twice, darling!" 

What the Tiefling didn't see was the Half-Elf arriving at his other side: Ronnie waved her hand in front of him and casted a flash of light right on his face, blinding him.

"Argh! My eyes!" He cried.

"What do you want from me, demon? Gratitude? Money? To seal a pact with some kind of devil?" Roger got closer again and Freddie found himself surrounded by the group, outnumbered and with his sight compromised. 

"I don't want anything, your buddy just pissed me off with his attitude and I got rid of him!" The half-demon growled, showing his teeth.

"I told you, I can't stand people like him, who betray their friends, their families, who feel superior because of their race or class, who can't stand who's different or unique and marks them as a _freak_. How many times do I have to repeat it so you’ll understand?" For the first time they heard a small crack in his voice, as if he was trying to hide a scar.

"And do you believe killing them is the right way?" Brian asked.

"Yes. I've met enough fellas like him to assure you that most of them don't want to change, they love to make others rot in their shadow. I don't have enough patience to lead them all on the right path, darling." A sad smile appeared on Frederick's lips. 

Instinctively, Ronnie linked her hand with John's and squeezed it.

"Listen, I'm sorry I've hurt your feelings so bad, lionheart, but trust me when I tell you it's better like this. I'm ready to accept my fate at the Martial Court, but it's also your time to shine with your own light." 

The four travellers stared at the Tiefling while he linked his golden eyes with Roger's, each of them trying to process his words in their own way. 

Roger has never felt so ashamed before but he couldn't deny the Tiefling was right, maybe this was finally his occasion after a life of back chats, insults, people who made him feel out of place, who made rage grow in his heart. He's been, blind, eager and rebellious, while now someone else was making him face the opportunity to be himself. 

He clenched his fists, a storm roaring in his ears.

"I won't forgive you, Tiefling. You're still my prisoner and you'll have to pay for your actions." Roger glared at him and Frederick nodded, his feline eyes burning with a weird light. Then the Dwarf turned to give him his back and wave a hand towards John. "Put him to sleep."

"Oh come on-" Frederick tried to reply but surrendered to John's spell and fell asleep once again.

\---*---

Two swords rotating in the morning's breeze, the early sunlight hitting the blades and his armor. This was how Sir Roger Meddows Taylor loved to free his mind: moving his body and waving his swords, becoming one with his weapons and the sunshine. 

Suddenly he heard delicate steps not so far from him and someone sitting on the fallen tree trunk that was laying in the field.

He turned and saw Veronica with her eyes closed, her pointy nose up towards the cloudless sky.

"You should stay at the campsite." Roger groaned while swinging his sword against an invisible enemy.

"With that dangerous Tiefling? Mmh…" she replied with a grin. "He was talking non-stop and Brian gagged him, but I needed a place to pray more peacefully."

"Here, where I'm training with my swords?" 

"I thought you were praying as well, to be honest." She tilted her head, raising an eyebrow, curious to find out about the paladin and his relationship with his deity.

But Roger scoffed. "My goddess never wants to reply, guess she enjoyed giving me some powers, a pretty face, and then looking at me trying to deal with them." 

Veronica's smile faded suddenly.

"Maybe you should try to talk with her more often?"

"Tsk." Roger cut the air once again with a blade.

Ronnie bowed her head and started fidgeting with her necklace, a tiny open hand symbol of Ilmater.

"When I was little, I used to think praying during the mass was pointless: Ilmater never replied. He began talking to me not when I was in the church but when I really needed him, when I was feeling abandoned." She explained. Maybe Roger still needed to find his own way to talk with his goddess...

"Lucky you. Sometimes Sune pats me on the shoulder, says 'good job', and goes missing again for _years_."

He reprised his training giving Ronnie his back and going on fighting the air with only one of his swords.

"I'm sorry for your comrade and how he treated you, Sir Taylor. Really." She murmured after a while. In the end Roger was a distraction for her prayers, but she wanted to talk peacefully with him anyway.

"It's ok, I'm trying to get used to it. Being honest, Brian has already demonstrated to be a better friend and companion." 

"I'm glad to know. And I'm glad to have you two as my escorts… and John, of course. Brian is very polite and knows everything about nature, you can really tell it's his passion." She smiled widely. 

"Yeah, but sometimes he's a bit of a know-it-all." The Dwarf sat on the log next to her, staring curiously. "And me?" 

"You've been quite rude, Sir Taylor, but I can tell you're soft under that fierce armor, perhaps even funny." She admitted with a smirk.

"I'd love to joke around and have a laugh, I swear." He pouted, sounding a bit offended.

"Then why not?" 

Roger stabbed his sword in the soft grass, staring at the shiny blade.

"People believe a pretty face like me should be always smiling and laughing to please others. I'm more than a pretty face, I won’t play that game."

"I'm not forcing you to be a pretty face, I was just suggesting to be more… yourself? If you want to joke around and have a laugh feel free to do it, none of us will judge you." Ronnie shrugged and gave him a tender smile. 

"And what about your friend, John? He doesn't seem a smiley one either." Roger nudged her with an elbow.

Ronnie's eyes got lost in the grass, following the movements of an ant for a moment.

"He's very reserved." She murmured.

"Yeah I noticed that."

"But I've seen his smile once, it was beautiful…" a smile appeared on her lips thinking about it, about how his eyes wrinkled and his whole face lit up. Then her thoughts travelled to his pained eyes and her smile faded. "He's very lonely. He didn't tell me his entire story yet because it's too painful for him, but I'm sure of one thing: he needs friends. Someone to trust, a hand to hold, someone who won't judge him, someone to share a laugh with..." 

"Are you willing to be that someone?" Roger teased, but not in a mischievous way.

"Maybe… I guess." She let out and felt her cheeks burning. "But I can't be the only one, you know…" 

She raised her head and her hazel eyes met Roger's blue ones with hope. 

"So are you asking me and Brian to be his friends?"

"I'm asking you to give him a chance." She replied softly with a nod and Roger agreed with her. They were all together now, all of them carrying their problems and their burdens. Sure the Tiefling was an unexpected inconvenience and was bothering them a lot, specially the Paladin, but aside of that it was dumb to be always so cold to each other. They could’ve been also a good team in fights, he thought.

The blonde nodded and gave Ronnie a pat on the shoulder, standing up and withdrawing his second blade.

"Mh, I'll try… good talk, cleric, much better than what my goddess can do." He smiled at her and headed to the campsite. "I'll leave you with your deity now, fifteen minutes and we'll reprise our travel."

"Wait, and what are you going to do with the Tiefling?"

"Bring him to the martial court, told ya!" 

  
  


Veronica slid on the trunk to sit directly on the grass and leaned her back against the wood. She huffed, uncertain of what to say to Ilmater and what kind of advice she should've asked him. 

At the moment she was just happy to have helped Roger, even if just a little, and she admitted to herself that maybe her three bodyguards could finally become friends. In her heart she knew she couldn't be the reason of John's smile, not right now while both of them were trying so hard to deal with their feelings, unable to be together as they really wanted to be. It was like this for her and she knew it was the same for him. That's why he needed other friends. _Brothers_.

During their travel she tried to not think too much about her attraction for John by getting distracted by Brian's knowledge of the nature, by Roger's bickerings and by her aching legs… but there were always moments where she found herself staring at the Human, analysing his movements, his handsome features, but also trying to involve him more in the adventure and keep him some company. 

And the nights.

Scary dark nights in the forest. She couldn't get used to it, the night always brought fear and crippling doubts inside her head. John's warmth and his heartbeat next to her were the only lullaby, a nest where she was safe.

Ronnie lifted her head sniffing the fresh air of the morning, calling her god.

"Please, guide me in the right direction."

What she didn't expect was to see the Tiefling'a figure appearing in her mind while praying. At first she thought it was a trick played by the warlock himself but then realized it was a message from her god. She already knew her meeting with John wasn't a coincidence and now her deity was telling her that Frederick… was he the guide she needed now? To where? Pictures of a big castle -no, it was a city on a hill- flashed in her mind as well along with kids' laughters and then it all vanished with a strong light. 

Something warm grew in her chest, meaning a request to be faithful and not give up. 

Veronica reopened her eyes. Now she had more questions than before, but something new to think about.

\---*---

At this point Frederick completely accepted his fate and agreed with being escorted to the martial court without too many complaints. They would've needed to take a deviation from the original route but it was a matter of few days. The Tiefling allowed Brian to tie his wrists with some vines and he walked along with the group of travellers, firmly held by Roger. 

What Veronica didn't expect was for him to talk _so_ much. Brian made the mistake of removing the cloth from his mouth and so he spent hours chanting about his adventures, the monster he defeated and all of his enemies, one more mischievous and rude than the others. Apparently Tim was one of the many unlucky ones who crossed his way. 

While he and Roger went on arguing on who fought the strongest demons -giving away the awkward feeling of two old friends mocking each other in a macho war- Brian wondered if he was hiding something from them. _He sure was_ , he thought, it wasn't possible that he allowed them to capture him so easily. _Or was he being paranoid?_

The Elf whispered his doubts to John, who nodded in agreement. Both of them stepped closer to the young Cleric who was unaware of their minds.

All of a sudden a falcon flew above their heads and swirled around Frederick, flapping his wings playfully. Ronnie yelped in surprise and Roger was ready to draw a sword when Brian understood that signal.

"Is it a druid?!" 

Frederick let out a crystalline laugh and the falcon sat on his shoulder, giving his cheekbone a little headbutt before flying away.

"Aha, my dear darling is in the next town. Lucky me!" He chimed happily.

"Wait, was _that_ a druid? Like… shapeshifted?" Roger frowned.

"No, it was just a messenger sent by one, like we did with the letter to the convent." The Elf explained suspiciously. 

"Yes yes, my darling doesn't like to shapeshift in flying animals!" The Tiefling chuckled. "He likes the ground more, you know?" 

"Who the hell are you talking about?!" Roger snarled.

"Oh, you'll know him soon, I told you: he's in the next city! He sells flowers!" 

The four travellers exchanged a puzzled look.

"Now let's go, I can't wait to meet my love!" 

When they arrived in the city of Lenthra the last thing they expected was to be assaulted by its inhabitants, who began screaming and throwing stones at the group of travellers as soon as they stepped through the gate. 

It was soon clear that Frederick was the reason of their distress and their fear led them to believe the rest of the travellers were with him. 

While Roger roared at everyone that the Tiefling was his _prisoner_ , trying to calm down the population, John was able to shield Ronnie in time to protect her from a flying rock.

"Warlock, what in the world have you done here?" Brian yelled at him while conjuring some thorns as a shield. 

"Uhm, yes I made some troubles here, now I remember." He chuckled nervously. "If you set me free I can get rid of all these peasants though."

"NO!" The whole group shouted at him and he groaned. None of them wanted to fight the Lenthraneers, they were just trying to make it clear they weren't _with_ Fred… and trying to dodge the shower of stones.

Suddenly a huge dark figure stood in front of them. 

It was the biggest brown bear they've ever seen and it tilted its head to the travellers. 

"He said 'follow me'!" Brian translated and they all ran in his shadow towards the city's outskirts. 

They reached a little shelter, more like a stable, out of the inhabitants' reach and finally they caught their breath sitting on the straw. 

"John, you're hurt!" Veronica noticed a stream of blood coming down from his forehead and before he could've even replied she placed her palms around his head and began healing him. 

In the meantime the huge bear started to glow and shapeshifted to his original form, making Frederick squeal with excitement. 

"So, that's how shapeshifting looks like…" Roger whispered and Brian nodded.

The Druid was huge. Not as much as his bear form, but he was much bigger than any of them was expecting. 

He was a Half-Orc, so tall that Brian -hair included- could've only reached his chest and Roger his thighs. His rough, light green skin and the big arms were clear signs of his powerful and tough race, but his eyes and his radiant smile were unnaturally full of pure kindness. 

"Jim!" Frederick jumped up and down, his wrists still firmly tied up and the rope held by Roger, and the Half-Orc beamed at him with his blushing cheeks. 

"So this is the _dear darling_ who sent the falcon earlier?" The Dwarf asked harshly. 

"Yes! His name is Jim Hutton and he's my boyfriend!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Boom! Jim is here! I'm so happy to finally write him, he's cute and in the next chapter we'll find out more about him and Frederick!  
> Also here have a couple of words about Roger's goddess, Sune: Also known as Lady Firehair, she's the deity of beauty, with governance also over love. Her dogma primarily concerned love based on outward beauty. Roger has a quite complex relationship with Sune as shown in this chapter and I hope to tell his story soon. At the right moment, of course!  
> As always thanks for reading! I love you all!


	8. I am the Great Pretender

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> With the introduction of Jim, Frederick reveals some truths that will change some minds. Meanwhile, Ronnie tries to deal with her feelings.  
> I can't deny this chapter has been very tricky to write and I'm eager to write more and more things while I have no patience... sorry if some things still feel a bit rushed, forgive me.

"This is Jim, my boyfriend!" Frederick chimed and the Half-Orc waved his big hand, muttering a "hello" while his cheeks slightly flushed, a shy smile appearing under his moustache. 

At the word 'boyfriend' Ronnie's hands instinctively jerked away from John's head, where she had rested them even after healing him. That word alone made her guts tighten and also John shifted his eyes to stare nervously at the pile of straw he was sitting on as a silent wave of embarrassment ran between them.

Roger raised an eyebrow looking at the Tiefling/Half-Orc couple. They were an odd duo for sure.

"Nice to meet you, Jim." Brian spoke first. "Thank you for helping all of us away from the crowd, but I'm afraid your fiance will come with us to the martial court anyway."

Jim tensed at the Elf's words and he gave Frederick a worried look.

"The martial court? Oh Fred, what did you do this time? I thought they were with you!"

"Ehm… the Dwarf's comrade pissed me off and I killed him." The Tiefling explained, looking like a kid who stole some candies. "But I swear, love, it was before meeting them! He was a jerk, he abandoned the poor thing, I made him a favour!" He tried to defend himself but Jim crossed his huge arms and frowned.

"I told you that's not how to solve things, no one will see you as an hero if you keep slaughtering people around!"

At his words Roger took off his lion-shaped helmet and scoffed loudly.

"A hero? This maniac? He's crazy!" 

"He tried to _bite_ me." John added quietly.

"Pff, that was self-defense." Frederick shot back waving his hand.

"Freddie, you have to be more careful… see? Now they'll bring you in front of a judge, they'll hang you for sure. Is this how you want to end up?" Jim placed a hand on his shoulder, looking more and more concerned while hiding his disappointment. 

"Of course not, darling. Look at these adventurers! I've finally found them, this is just the beginning!" The Tiefling stretched out his arms.

"Two, three, four… it's _them_? Are you sure?" Jim scratched the back of his head, questioning.

"Quite so, yes."

"Wait what?" John blurted out and Freddie bloomed in a toothy grin, as if he was expecting that question for a long time.

"Do you believe in prophecies, darlings?"

The group divided, while Roger and Brian said "yes" John and Veronica let out a "no" instead.

"Ehm, in my religion we're more for sacred texts and prayers, you know…" she explained sheepishly. "But I've never witnessed a real prophecy, to be honest."

"I'm just skeptical." John stated, shrugging. 

Sitting cross-legged in front of them, Frederick proudly inflated his chest.

"Well, I've had a prophecy made upon me many years ago, not long after I began my epic travel to seek love and glory. In the ruins of a city I found an old blind man, a prophet, who told me my destiny."

The Tiefling stood up suddenly and theatrically waved his cloak in front of his face, making a big voice.

_"Fame and fortune and everything that goes with it,_

_the poor boy will earn it all with a good company._

_A lion hearted Dwarf with the beauty of an angel,_

_a tall, peaceful Elf born from the war, living as one with the nature_

_and a silent Human son of the thunderstorm_

_shall be found guided by a saint princess._ _  
_ _The great pretender and his soul brothers_

_born to be kings, will be princes of the universe."_

He sat again, coming out from the character.

"The great pretender, the poor boy, that's me! And I finally found you all! The pretty Dwarf, a tall and peaceful Elf, a silent Human and a saint princess who I believe it's you, cleric girl! When i saw your group in the forest I couldn't believe my eyes, I _had_ to join you!" 

"You're joking, you just made that up." Roger said coldly. 

"Oh no, he told me the same exact words months ago. If you believe me…" Jim explained, trying to sound convincing.

"Nonsense, that prophecy doesn't even rhyme." The blonde Dwarf groaned.

"Prophecies don't have to always rhyme, Roger." Brian replied before asking Frederick. "You said this blind old man was living in the ruins of a city?"

"Yes, everything on that land was destroyed by some kind of disaster, probably the old war, I don't know." He explained and Brian let out a sharp sigh, dipping his fingers in his curls.

"No, I know that place. My father met that prophet too, the whole capital of that land laughed at his delirious words but the disaster arrived anyway. Whenever he told me that story he always said _'Listen to the warning the prophet he said, still I fear and still I dare not laugh at the madman.'_ "

A shiver ran down Veronica's spine and she moved a bit to sit closer to John.

"Perhaps he was some kind of sorcerer who sensed the danger. Anyway, prophecy or not I'm not interested in being _whatever_ of the universe." The human was still skeptical, giving the Tiefling a gelid stare. He wasn't interested in becoming famous or anything, he just wanted to do his experiments and eventually help others, but not to gain fame.

"Prince of the universe. It's a way to say hero!" The Tiefling chimed getting excited. "Oh come on, what are your plans after this super important mission to… wherever you're going?"

"I'll go back to the headquarters and wait for another mission." Roger didn't hesitate to reply.

"I think I'll travel some more." Brian wasn't so sure, but he just wished to be free and connect with the nature as he asked Chrissie.

"I'll reprise my studies." John shrugged, not really thinking at any other plan at the moment. And if he had any, it wasn't Frederick's business. 

"I…" Veronica tried to follow their train of replies, but the truth was that, for her, the plans she wished to follow weren't what her escorts and her superiors expected her to. Except for John, but by how he replied she had the sensation he wasn’t going to include her in his plans and that single thought started creeping in her head.

"Ronnie?" The Human noticed her empty stare and suddenly realised that his words might've hurt her.

"I've got to go back to the convent, I guess…" she murmured trying to sound convincing, in vain. When John tried to hold her hand she crossed her arms and glued her eyes on her lap.

"Everything is sooo boring!" Frederick broke the awkward silence. "We could be the greatest team ever, a group of misfits that found each other to be the strongest party of heroes that this land has ever seen! We can travel all around, fight bad guys and stuff like that! Everyone's gonna love us!"

Brian and Roger exchanged a look, Frederick's proposal sounding like a temptation right now. Roger had always wanted to be a hero, someone whom people would have relied on, and with the powers given him by his goddess he chose to be a Paladin. He was associated with the Order of Athena though, so he had some higher ranks to which he was subjected.  
And Brian… secretly he wanted to prove to his father that a Druid could've been valid too, as much as a Fighter like him. 

"You know, as interesting and appealing it sounds, you've still committed a crime you have to be punished for!" Roger spat out.

Annoyed, Frederick raised an eyebrow. 

"While you were telling me your great adventures as paladin you didn't seem to feel guilty for having killed bad foes either, _good guy_. We're not so different, morally speaking. If Tim weren’t a friend of yours you would’ve done the same." He replied and Roger clenched his teeth.

"Freddie…" Jim tried to keep him at place. 

"You've been fooling us all along. Pretending to accept your condemn just to trick us to follow you into this crazy adventure, didn't you?" The paladin let out seriously.

"I had the feeling something was off, but..." Brian added glancing at John. 

"Thanks for appreciating my acting skills! You know, a trickster like me is always useful in a team, I can help you out a difficult situation with my huge charisma!" Fred let out a nervous laugh.

All of a sudden, Ronnie stood on her feet and took John's heavy notebook from his bag, stomped towards Frederick and slammed the book on his head using all the force she could. The Tiefling felt his horns vibrating against his skull but most of all he got surprised by her action.

"You're an idiot!" She yelled and everyone gasped. Her three bodyguards prepared to attack in case Jim or Frederick tried to hit her but they didn't. Instead they were staring at her.

"You don't have any respect for other people's feelings! You hurt Roger and you're proud of it, you've said you're sorry but I don't see a glimpse of guilt in your eyes! You appeared out of nowhere and just keep treating us like we don't have anything else to do rather than following you!" She was shaking while letting out her frustration and yelling at Frederick but didn't stop. "How can you pretend we will trust you after you behaved like this? I can't believe you even have someone to call 'beloved' for real, or have you tricked him as well into loving you?" 

"Miss Veronica!" It was a lot and Brian reprised her.

Frederick stepped towards her, dangerously close, and stared in her eyes. Slowly, he lowered his gaze with shame. He felt his cheeks burning and a fire lighting up somewhere in his guts. 

"My love for Jim… is genuine. I've never lied to him, I…" He stammered, for the first time finding himself unable to reply with sarcasm or sass. She really got him in his weakest spot.

"Then prove you can be a good teammate also for us, if you want it so much." She ended, sitting back at her place and handing John his notebook. The wizard was once again taken aback by her wilder side, feeling proud of her courage but also a little scared. 

A thick silence enveloped the stable, everyone waiting for Frederick to make his next move while he was standing, staring at the floor.   
Instead, Jim was the one who spoke first with his gentle and deep voice. 

“I’m sorry if Freddie’s behaviour caused so much trouble. It’s his way to defend himself, you know, acting like that… but his heart is good, the softest I've ever met, and I can assure you he’d be ready to throw himself in a volcano if it means to save a beloved’s life. He found me in a village, imprisoned and attacked by the crowd who wanted to lapidate me because of my ogre nature; he met me only once before that, we didn’t even talk, but he used all his powers to save me from them.” Jim looked at Frederick and held his hand, so small in comparison.

“Whoever reverses their violence and hate against who’s weaker and different must be punished.” the Tiefling hissed, remarking his moral.

“Paladins exist for that.” Roger muttered.  
“Paladins aren’t always everywhere, darling. And I’m not a paladin, I’m a warlock. Being a warlock requires certain nasty duties.”

A challenging look ran between Roger and Freddie while the paladin scanned his words and Jim's. The warlock was right, his kind of magic had its own rules, but apparently their desire to defend the weaker wasn't so different. Roger's mind travelled back in time, at his attempts to stand up to protect his mother and his sister. What led him to be a Paladin first of all. The blonde shifted his eyes towards Brian, trying to find a more rational response.

“Frederick.” Brian spoke. “I want to discuss with my teammates on what to do.”

Freddie glanced at Jim with big eyes.  
“Let them.” The Half-Orc suggested and he nodded.

It hasn’t been an easy conversation, Roger's will of taking the Tiefling to the martial court was now dangerously staggering and Brian's curiosity about being a hero on its own had been tingled, John only wanted to protect Veronica and the girl was thinking of giving Frederick another chance -both because of her good heart and because of the vision she had- even after her scold. After a while, they eventually came out with an agreement and let Brian speak once again.  
“So, Frederick…” He began. “Currently our mission is to escort Miss Veronica to the High Priest of Ilmater in the city of Nolfast, for an important delivery. We’re already late on our schedule so we can’t prevaricate furthermore, I hope you understand.”

Nodding seriously, the Tiefling confirmed before Brian reprised his speech.  
“If you want to come with us we’ll let you, but we have to settle down some rules, you can’t act so chaotic all the time. One wrong move and you're out… or dead. I hope this won’t happen though, but if you really want to be our teammate you have to earn our trust. It’s not been easy with John, but he’s quiet and has a reason to be with us since Veronica needs his help. If you demonstrate to be a good mate then we may think about your proposal of travelling together.”

The druid stared directly in Frederick's eyes.

"I accept all your rules." He bowed his head, the elegant gesture made without malice. The Tiefling mentally cursed his mischievous and flamboyant persona for always ruining things for him. While promising to be a good teammate, he remembered how he gained Jim's trust, how he learned to be himself and show his softer side to him.

Now he didn't need to _impress_ his new mates; he needed to be their friend. 

He needed to be their _'soul brother'_ as the prophecy told many years ago.

\---*---

When darkness enveloped the stall they decided to take a rest for the night, with Brian, Roger and John doing guard duties to keep an eye on Frederick and Jim. 

Quietly and with clenched heart John told Brian he needed to talk privately with Ronnie and the Elf gave him his blessing. The Human knew Ronnie was upset for his words and for Frederick's behaviour, she was getting stressed and he wanted to stay with her more than ever. 

Ronnie was curled up on a pile of straw where she had put her blanket on. Her heartbeat was painfully pulsing in her head and she was experiencing more than a new sensation for the first time. She was upset, feeling betrayed by John's carefree words, but also angry with herself for thinking he would abandon her. And she didn't know what to do with Frederick, knowing that Ilmater showed her his image in a vision without giving her any further information. 

She glanced at Roger who was sleeping not too far from Frederick, wondering what was going on in his mind. 

All of a sudden she felt the straw next to her shifting under someone's weight and, knowing it was John, she curled up even more. 

"Hey…" he laid down next to her, but when he tried to place a hand on her shoulder she gave him her back, squirming away from his touch.

John had to swallow the lump in his throat. 

"Please, Ronnie, tell me what's wrong." he whispered, running his head on his chest. 

He noticed her small figure inhaling and exhaling sharply.

"You want to reprise your studies without me being around, don't you?" she murmured, still showing him her back.

"Oh-" it was exactly what he suspected. "That's not it, Veronica, really. I made a poor choice of words earlier, I'm sorry. I just didn't want to reveal anything, you know? Honestly though, I don't remember saying 'I want to reprise my studies _alone_ '." When she turned to look at him she found a smug smile on his lips.

"I'm sorry I gave you that impression… trust me, your presence next to me is always welcomed and I deeply wish for it. But really, do you know what _you_ want to do after the mission?" He delicately traced a line on her shoulder with his finger, barely touching her. "While travelling… it makes me so happy to see you beaming at every new discovery, I see how hard you're trying to enjoy this time and making the other three of us more unite. And… and I want you to be happy, to protect you. But…" he hesitated.

"But?" Now Ronnie turned completely on her side to face him and waited for him to go on.

"I'd also love to know if all of this will end with this mission or not." The human looked at her with gloomy eyes, she knew exactly what he meant with this and she had been asking the same to herself since the beginning.

"I'm so confused, John, really.” She lowered her head apologetically. “This morning I prayed a little and I asked Ilmater to guide me in the right direction and… no, this is nonsense." She shook her head.

"Please tell me."

"He showed me Frederick and… and a big city with a castle, it was such a nice place, it felt safe..." Ronnie began fidgeting with her necklace, she wasn’t used to tell her visions to anyone and it made her nervous. 

"What's your interpretation?"

"I'm not sure, but I feel like the Tiefling will guide us somewhere… somewhere my god wants me to go." Still confused, she shook her head. "I'll try to ask him more, but… right now I don't know, we should go on and reach Nolfast anyway. Then we'll see." 

John nodded silently, thinking about these new informations about the Tiefling. His eyes wandered through the stall, where Brian was awake reading a book under a magic sphere of light and the others were apparently sleeping, Frederick in Jim's arms and Roger not far from them. His gaze landed on Veronica again and lingered on her slim shapes, barely outlined by the dim light, and felt his cheeks flushing.

"What… what about me?" He whispered and when their eyes met, the Half-Elf's lips quivered. 

"I'm still scared, John… And I feel so bad about it, I just wish to be with you without fear of being exposed."   
“Because of your vows? You told they mean nothing to you and your spirituality, it’s been imposed by others…” He gave her a sympathetic smile, trying to infuse some hope in her heart.   
“Yes, I know, but…” She made herself smaller in her shoulders. “If they find out that I broke my vows they’ll put both of us on the pyre and I don’t want it to happen. I don’t want you to die because of me.” She shook her head, hiding her face behind her fringe.

_‘So, that’s it.’_ He thought, feeling ashamed for putting her in such a risky situation. He cursed to himself, rage boiling in his guts at the idea of someone trying to kill her for such a stupid rule. She was faithful to her god and she told him more than once that Ilmater has always protected her, but she was still scared by the church’s rulers. Breaking the vows wasn't just a matter of self-consciousness, but a political issue with serious repercussions he wasn't aware of. 

Was her vision a way to escape this dreadful destiny?

His trail of thoughts stopped when he heard a quiet sob shaking Ronnie and his arms enveloped her in a warm hug.

"I'm here, I won't let them hurt you." John felt her body slowly relaxing in his arms and gave a kiss on the top of her head that made her smile, feeling safe. "Now sleep, Ronnie, you're tired." 

"Thank you for being my friend, John."

While waiting her to fall asleep, John rested his chin on her head listening to her heartbeat and smelling her flowery scent mixed with the fresh straw. 

_'I'm sorry…'_ he thought. _'But I love you too much to be just a friend…'_

His mind went back at Jim's words, when he told Freddie was ready to tear down a whole village to save him. 

And John knew. He was ready to tear down Ilmater's entire church if any of them dared to touch Veronica.

\---*---

Roger was sitting next to the sphere of magic fire created by Brian, slowly rotating the blade of his sword to play with the reflections on the stall's walls. John should've been doing his guard duty right now but when Brian went to wake him up found the Human holding Veronica so close in their sleep that he didn't feel like disturbing them. And so, Roger was now fully awaken and trying to not surrender to the storm of thoughts that was tormenting him. After all, unlike John he hasn't been able to sleep properly. 

He looked at Frederick curled up against Jim, looking like a cat sleeping with his owner. The Dwarf rested his chin on the pommel of his sword and huffed. Not that he was happy about it, but he was slowly surrendering to the idea that Freddie won't see the martial court for killing Tim. And he was surrendering to the fact that Tim deserved it and he was just being stubborn because he hated to lose. 

_'Doing the right thing.'_ He thought. _'Bullshit.'_

It was then that he heard sound of steps and voices from outside. Someone was arriving and they were many. 

He stood on his feet and quickly put his armor on, hearing the voices getting closer and louder. 

From outside, someone shouted.

"FIRE!" 

Roger began clanging his sword against his chestplate, waking his companions.

"Wake up, wake up! They're attacking us-"

He barely managed to finish the phrase that fire began spreading from the stall's roof, enveloping everything with crimson flames. 

"Go back to hell, demon!" A man from outside yelled and a group of people began pushing the front door to block their fleeing.

"Quick, to my cart!" Jim shouted and showed them a back exit that led to the wagon he used to sell flowers around the land.

John took Veronica by her wrist but she yelped and tried to escape from his grasp.

"Wait!"

"What are you doing?!" He yelled.

"My documents!" She ran to get back her precious parchments, but when she picked the bag up a whole chunk of wood and straw crumbled from the roof in front of her, the fire blocking her way to the rest of the group. Everything was happening so quickly, Roger was already feeling too hot in his armor and Brian lingered to find a solution, while John froze shouting Veronica's name, mentally scanning his whole knowledge of spells to find one that could've worked. 

In her prison of fire, the Half-Elf clutched her precious belongings to her chest, the fear of dying now erasing every other thought, even prayers, while the fire angrily made the air burn around her. She shut her eyes closed and heard John's voice screaming her name from the other side. 

She was about to die in the flames anyway, but without even have loved him first.

All of a sudden, a purple cloaked figure dashed forward, running next to John and diving directly into the fire. 

"Frederick?!" Veronica cried out and the Tiefling scooped her up, jumping again in the fire and rolling quite gracefully back to the other side, so quickly that the flames didn't manage to touch her. 

Bridal-carrying her, Freddie lifted the cleric and gave her to John, who held her close to his chest. The Human silently thanked him before they both ran to the back of Jim's chariot.

"Veronica, are you okay?!" Brian cried out with worry, but she was unable to speak, shivering cradled against John's chest while they sat on the back of the wagon. 

"Yes, Frederick saved her…"

"He did…?" The Elf stammered.

"Being a half-demon gives me some advantages with fire, darling! I'm not fireproof but it takes some effort to hurt me with it." The Tiefling dramatically ran a hand on his horns, proud of his heroic action.

"Go, go!" Jim started the horse and they managed to run away from the stall that was now completely on fire. 

The raging villagers were still chasing them though, some with their horses and more fire arrows, the same that set the stall on fire.

"They're chasing us! I can't believe it!" Roger cried out while looking at them from the back of the cart. 

"They really hate you, Frederick." Brian let out. "What can we do?"

"They like fire huh? I'm throwing a fucking Fireball at them, then we'll see!"

"Are you nuts?! That will set the whole forest on fire!" The Elf swatted his arm. 

"Then what's your plan, curly head? Jump down and say _'hey sorry if I caused troubles, can you not kill all of us please?'_ " 

"Yeah that would be good!" Brian replied sarcastically.

"They'll skin us!" Freddie barked while a couple of flaming arrows hissed dangerously close to the wagon.

"Hey you two, shut it! I have an idea." Roger cut them off, drawing a sword from his back. He hated to not be of any help and still felt like an idiot for not having helped Veronica in the stall, so now it was his turn to do something. 

"So?" 

"I'll scare the shit out of their horses and maybe make some of them deaf." Roger smirked while taking off the chestplate of his armor and placing it on the wooden floor in front of him.

"Now please shut your eyes and cover your ears, this' gonna be loud!" He commanded and everyone obeyed without beating an eye.

The paladin lifted his sword above his head and mentally called his goddess, asking for her powers. She always gave them, anyway, Roger just never heard anything else from her.

"Thunderous… Smite!" He shouted and hit his chestplate with all his weight. 

Thanks to the spell the armor resonated like a huge bell letting out a loud bang that filled the air and from Roger's blade shone a blinding light that turned the night into day for a moment.

"Fucking hell!" Frederick exclaimed,all of them experienced the explosion even while trying to protect ears and eyes. 

Roger saw the crowd screaming and their horses getting crazy because of the sound and light, none of them able to chase the chariot anymore. 

From the driver's place Jim cursed and had to use his druidic abilities to calm down his horse, or else it would've been scared as well. 

When everything went quiet again, the whole crowd had stopped its run, everyone screaming in confusion. Some flaming arrows tried to reach the chariot, in vain, and the chasers became smaller and smaller with the distance.

"Have my compliments, paladin, that was fucking cool." Frederick bowed his head and sat on the chariot next to Brian. Roger sat on the opposite side, next to John and Veronica, thanking the Tiefling.

"So, can we call this a new start? I deeply apologise for my shitty behaviour, _for real_."

"You know we'll keep our eyes glued on you, right?" Roger raised an eyebrow.

"Yeah, it's the less I deserve." He removed his right glove and stretched out a purple hand. "Let's have a proper introduction this time, no weapons pointed at my throat or ropes tying me up. I'm Frederick Mercury, from the House Bulsara, Warlocks for five generations. And that handsome Half-Orc with me is Jim Hutton." He firmly shook Roger’s hand and gave him a little smile, showing his pointy teeth.

"Sir Roger Meddows Taylor, paladin of Sune, enlisted in the Order of Athena." 

"Brian Harold May, uhm… Druid." The Elf muttered, not really eager to reveal his full name.

"What's your Circle, Brian?" Jim called from the driver seat. "Mine's Land!"

"Moon." Brian replied and Jim nodded with a fond smile.

"And the lovebirds there?" Frederick nodded at John who was still holding Veronica against his chest.

"We're not-" John tried to argue but gave up with a sigh and stretched out his hand anyway. "John Richard Deacon. Wizard." 

He then checked on Ronnie, who was still slightly shivering in his arms and even if she seemed conscious her eyes were shut closed and she was squeezing her bag of ancient documents in her arms.

"She's Veronica, Half-Elf Cleric of Ilmater. Sorry, she's still quite overwhelmed." John introduced her and Frederick's gaze softened a bit.

"Well, I think we're safe now, aren't we?" He yelled at Jim.

"Yes, I'll drive some more before a stop, you can rest in the meantime!" The Half-Orc replied cheerfully and the whole group sighed in relief, finally having a moment of quietness.

\---*--- 

While Jim kept driving, it didn’t take long for Roger, Brian and Frederick to fall asleep in the back of the wagon. 

"Ronnie, you ok?" John whispered moving some hair away from the Half-Elf’s sweaty forehead.

Still shocked, she weakly nodded, slowly opening her eyes.

Since they jumped on Jim's chariot she felt numb, everything else was a muffled mix of voices, a loud thunder carefully shut down by John's hands on her pointy ears, and the sound of the street under the wooden wheels. John's voice suddenly brought her back to reality and she revived her experience in the stall in a flash, feeling the high temperature lapping her skin.

She let out a sob and tears began streaming down her cheeks.

"You've been a fool, Veronica, you could've died there… thank luck Frederick is a Tiefling…" The Human whispered, his voice was exposing her mistakes but there was no hint of rage in it. Just disappointment and a lot of concern. 

"I was so scared, I thought I was about to lose you. Please don't put yourself in danger ever again like that, ok? Your life is more important than these papers." His arms held Ronnie tighter and she nodded, the lesson she just learned now imprinting in her mind together with his broken voice. 

"I'm sorry…" she whispered.

"I know. Promise me you'll be more careful…" 

"I promise. Sorry, John." Her swollen eyes met his and John slowly wiped away a tear from her cheek. Treasuring that moment of closeness, he wished in the deep of his heart to stay with her like this forever. 

She leaned her ear on his chest, trying to adjust her fast heartbeat to his much slower one while dozing off. 

A burning hand was squeezing her guts, a single thought screaming in her ears while Jim's wagon ran in the night: now she was _sure_ she didn't want to burn on a pyre.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hmmm so we can say Freddie finally joined the party, right? But for a good thing comes a bad thing, now Ronnie has been face to face with the fire and that might be a problem... I'll try to not make you wait too much for the next chapter!
> 
> Now onto some DnD infos, this time about Half-Orcs (to see how Jim is unnaturally quiet and chill).  
> "Some half-orcs hear the whispers of Gruumsh (the God who created Orcs) in their dreams, calling them to unleash the rage that simmers within them. Others feel Gruumsh’s exultation when they join in melee combat. Half-orcs are not evil by nature, but evil does lurk within them, whether they embrace it or rebel against it. half-orcs feel emotion powerfully. Rage doesn’t just quicken their pulse, it makes their bodies burn. But they laugh loudly and heartily, and simple bodily pleasures—feasting, drinking, wrestling, drumming, and wild dancing—fill their hearts with joy. They tend to be short-tempered and sometimes sullen, more inclined to action than contemplation and to fighting than arguing. The most accomplished half-orcs are those with enough self-control to get by in a civilized land." -dndbeyond


	9. Lazing on a Sunday afternoon

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After escaping from the fire, the group travels for a while on Jim's wagon and they begin to get used to each other's company. But there's a crack between two of them and Frederick decides it's time to repair it.

After the attack at the stall, the whole group of travellers used Jim's wagon as a nest; it was comfy and safe especially that one time when they found themselves under a pouring rain. They travelled for a few days on secondary roads, stopping every now and then in the woods to sleep, eat and relax, training their combat abilities and allowing the horse to rest. 

Ronnie found out that her name was Dorothy, a name given her by Frederick, and loved eating from the cleric’s hand. 

The Half-Elf was still quite shocked by her near death experience and spent those days silently nestled in the chariot and grooming Tiffany or helping Jim to collect some flowers to sell in the next city. She enjoyed Jim, his presence was soothing and she soon understood why Frederick loved him so much. He was able to calm him down and bring out his sweeter and more friendly side.

The Half-Orc shared also his druidic knowledges with Brian, while Ronnie noticed how Roger and Frederick's bickerings turned out to be a source of entertainment for everyone. Freddie was like a glue, it was evident he was enjoying their company and having fun, and slowly he became a welcomed presence in the group without the need of bringing up his mischievous character. 

One afternoon during a pause, Veronica was sitting on the cart while Jim was planting some flowers in vases and she rested her head on her knees, staring at John from a distance. He was reading a book sitting under a tree while Roger and Freddie were sparring and Brian was wandering somewhere in the woods.

Since the fire, Ronnie and John barely talked.

She still slept in his arms at night, but it was as if a barrier had formed between them and her sleep was bothered by nightmares and dark thoughts. The truth was that now she was more scared than before, the feeling of being burned alive vivid in her mind was preventing her of even talk to him as if every word could’ve thrown her directly on the pyre, even if she knew it was just all in her mind. And he was respecting her, not forcing her into showing affection even if she knew that it broke his heart deeper and deeper, while all he wanted was to see her smile.

"A coin for your thoughts." Ronnie raised her gaze and saw Jim waving a flower in front of her face, his lips wearing a heartwarming smile as always under his thick moustache.

"I'm ok Jim, thank you." She looked at John's figure under the tree once again.

"Your eyes tell me you're in love and you're in trouble, little one. Does the Human know?"

"You caught me.” She lowered her head. “He knows, but love is forbidden to a cleric like me..."

"Oh. Chastity vow?"

Ronnie nodded and her sad smile vanished.

“Mmh, bad story. I’m really sorry, flower, I wish I could help you…” He replied and gently tucked the flower behind her pointy ear.

"Thank you. I must admit I'm a bit jealous of you and sir Mercury." 

"We shouldn't be together either, actually." Jim rolled his eyes and gave her an embarrassed smile.

"His family would never approve our union, but Freddie chose to listen to his heart instead. I hope you'll be able to do the same." He gave a supportive pat on Ronnie's shoulder and reprised his work.

\---*---

Another couple of days passed and the springtime was blooming in all its beauty, turning their travel in a pleasant road trip. No monsters to face, no angry crowds, not even bandits on the road. Roger thought it was going  _ suspiciously _ well but none of them really complained. In the meantime, Freddie grew kinda annoyed at John and Veronica's hopeless sighs and growing distance, sad glares and silence.He got eye for this kind of things and couldn’t stand not being of any help. Sneakily, he managed to tear out some informations from the Human and from Jim, whom Ronnie enjoyed to have small chats with. 

John wasn't a man of many words and didn't fully trusted him yet but one evening, as a reward for saving the girl from the fire, he allowed himself to open up just a bit and revealing Freddie his frustration. It was clear for the Tiefling that both were inexperienced about love, confused and awkward, but John was growing desperately in love with her everyday while she was trying to avoid him, scared of the consequences, and he didn't know what to do. 

That night Freddie sighed in Jim's arms, trying to get asleep.

"The tension is really heavy between those two, we need to lighten the mood and show them some fun, or else they'll drown in their own gloom."

"Always poking your nose in other people's lives, uh?" Jim playfully booped Frederick's pointy nose. "I agree with you though, I pity that girl so much, she's so sad… What do you mean, by the way? Playing a game?"

"No, no, just having fun, not thinking about their problems." 

"Do you want them to get drunk?" Jim whisper-yelled.

"Pfft no, silly! If I recall it right, there's a nice place to take a bath not far from here, the river is calm and there are natural pools and rocks to dive." 

"Oh, I remember that place! We've been there…"

"I think we should all take a day off right there and relax. Who knows, maybe seeing each other all wet and half naked will turn something on- ouch!" He couldn't end his phrase because Jim poked his big elbow in his side.

"She can't!" The Half-Orc hissed.

"Yeah, ok. Then maybe a kiss? The forbidden art of  _ holding hands _ ? I'm quite sure she's in trouble if they  _ fuck _ , not if they just cuddle innocently, for Hell's sake! And their cute faces deserve to be all smiley, not doom and gloom like they are now!"

"Are you sure about that?" Jim questioned.

"Yes. I mean, I think. I've heard a lot about Ilmater's clerics, but I can ask her for a confirm. If they still don't use magic to read minds then they have some hope." Freddie smiled brightly, sure that his plan was going to work.

\---*---

"Oh my God!" Veronica squealed in excitement at the sight of the natural heaven in front of her, running to the riverside to see her reflection in the crystal-clear water. The trees surrounded the river where it was wide and quiet, protecting the pools and the rocks like a dome made of light and leaves. Peaceful and enchanted, that's how Ronnie felt the view and the sounds of the water streaming softly.

"This place is wonderful…" she exclaimed with awe and Frederick chuckled.

"It's a paradise indeed." Brian said, opening his arms and breathing deeply the clean air, clearly pleased of being there.

"Sooo… why are we here exactly?" Roger asked, not really catching the reason of this deviation from their main road.

"For a bath, of course! And relax above everything." The Tiefling grinned and swatted the paladin's back, making his armor clang.

"Take this stuff off, mate, we're diving!" 

"Wait, you can't take your clothes off, there's a lady here!" Brian pointed out, stretching his arm towards Veronica.

"If you keep your underwear on I'm fine. Being a nurse is one of my duties at the convent, I don't get shocked by a half-naked man." She laughed and Frederick began unbuttoning his blouse, revealing a fluffy hairy chest and his purple-ish skin in all their glory. Also Brian, Roger and Jim began undressing but when Ronnie was about to take her dress off she noticed a detail she didn't consider earlier and felt her cheeks flushing vividly.

"Uhm, I… I need something to cover myself, uh, up here…" her hands trailed above her breasts and John, who was next to her, decided to shyly broke his silence rustling in his bag. 

"I've got a roll of new bandages, you can use them." Ronnie looked at him and accepted his offer with a timid smile before hiding behind a tree to get changed.

With her chest binded and her underwear on, Veronica finally set herself free and a rush of adrenaline ran through her body as she threw herself in the cool water, emerging with a happy screech. 

"It's freezing!" 

"Move yourself a bit and the temperature will be PER-FECT!" Freddie laughed before getting thrown in the air by Jim and dive again in the pool. 

Ronnie bloomed in a heartfelt laugh and John admired her from a rock he was sitting on, still fully dressed.

Who he didn't notice was Brian, that swam under the surface and appeared right behind Ronnie letting out a screech, scaring the hell out of both her and Roger.

"Argh! Where are your eyes, Elf?!" The paladin screamed at the sight of Brian's head with his damp curly hair covering the whole face, and the two of them began splashing water against each other.

While Frederick yelled "Who wants to be tossed by Jim?!" Veronica's eyes found John's and she felt a shiver behind her neck.

She was leaving him alone. 

That wasn't what she promised, that wasn't what she wanted, and even if she was trying to be just a friend she was being the worst friend ever, her stupid fears made her behaviour despicable. And so she swam closer to his rock looking at him from below while she tried to swallow her guilt.

"Don't you want to swim? Even just dip your legs in the water?" She asked, not realizing she was pleading him with big eyes.

"Not really…" his hand instinctively brushed against his bandages. As always, he didn't want to get questions about them and what was underneath. 

"You can keep your bandages on. They're working fine on me…"

"They'll ask me what I'm hiding." He scoffed nervously. 

"Oi, John!!! Deacon, come on!" They heard Roger shouting from the river and then him again chatting with Freddie.

With a grunt Ronnie lifted herself on the rock and sat next to John, shivering at the breeze on her wet skin. 

"Then just don't tell 'em. Please John…" she asked quietly and stared at the water. "I'm just… I'd love to see you having fun at least once in a while." 

"And are  _ you _ having fun?" He asked kindly, but as if his own fun didn’t matter.

"Mmh, yes I think. But I also think I've been an awful friend with you lately, I want to fix that. You should have fun too." 

Slowly, John’s fingers brushed Veronica’s until his hand was on top of hers, warm and dry. He was aware of her troubles, he understood she needed her space to think and rest, but at the same time his own loneliness had began to feel heavy in his heart and the distance between them was recalling old, painful memories he wasn’t sure to be able to revive. 

This small tentative of hers to get closer again meant for John more than she could’ve ever imagine. And so he accepted, even if that meant to show how many bandages he had to wear under his coat. 

“Ok, you win.” With his hand still on hers, he gave Ronnie a little smile, his greenish eyes shining a bit more than before. 

The Half-Elf lit up in a huge grin as an unexpected wave of happiness filled her chest and she launched her arms around his neck, hugging him tight and soaking his clothes. 

“W-wait, let me take this off first-” He stammered, feeling his cheeks flushing. 

As Ronnie got back in the river she couldn’t take her eyes off John, she didn’t even realize she was staring at him with her whole body under the water’s surface from her nose down while he took off most of his clothes to remain in his underpants. 

It wasn’t the first time she saw his binded chest -that happened right at their first meeting- but in that occasion she was more focused on healing the wounds on his waist and even the morning after was just a blurry memory. Now it was like her eyes were trying to imprint him in her mind like a painting, his lean and pale body covered in a thin layer of bandages from the base of his neck down to the end of his ribcage, leaving only his waist and navel bare. The shoulders were covered as well, as his scars spreaded all over his upper body, but the bandages were so carefully tied up that it was like a second skin, revealing all of his shapes underneath. 

While John slid down the rock to dive in the river, Ronnie noticed also how toned his legs were, surely after years of travelling and walking across the land... 

“DEAKY, YES!!!” Suddenly Frederick appeared behind Veronica and she almost choked with the water. Being caught staring made her feel really embarrassed and she knew her whole face was red like a tomato. 

She thanked her God that John didn't notice it and instead he frowned at Frederick. 

"What?"

"Deaky!" He repeated proudly and splashed water against John's face, drenching his long hair. 

"He thought the name John is basic and wanted to give you a nickname. That's Deaky. From your surname Deacon." Brian gave a short and precise explanation, but John didn't seem impressed as he shrugged. It was a nice friendly gesture he kindly accepted.

"Okay." 

He didn't hear Ronnie whispering "I like that name, though." under her breath.

"I saw a huge fish!!!" Roger yelled from another pool and they all started to chase fishes, then collecting pretty rocks and diving, soon forgetting the rest of the world while feeling like kids after a long time.

Roger even began to mimick a sort of synchronized swimming competition with Freddie before they started hitting each other like silly otters, making everyone laugh out loud. Brian’s favourite activity was shaking his curly head splashing everyone on his way and talking with fishes, while Ronnie had great fun diving from the rocks with John and being thrown up in the air by Jim, landing in the larger pool.

\---*---

Hours passed and while Roger, Brian and Freddie were playing target shooting with piles of stones, Ronnie was walking on top of the huge rocks displaced along and inside the river, trying to find some balance on the smaller ones. 

Meanwhile John and Jim had somehow began to study hydraulic engineering making dams with sticks and stones to deviate the water like a pair of zealous beavers. Ronnie leaned forward on the big rock above them to admire their work and trying to understand. 

She didn't notice the thin layer of mushy algae that was on the rock's surface.

It took an unsteady movement to make her feet slip on it and she lost her balance, falling in the river with a broken scream.

When she opened her eyes she met John's. He had been fast enough to catch her fall, putting his hand behind her head so she couldn't hit the rock and scooping up her legs.

"Careful, you could've hit your head…" he murmured with wide eyes. Both got scared by her fall, their hearts now beating fast while their chests brushed against each other.

"Yes, I… I've slipped…" Ronnie's head was spinning as John's face was so dangerously close to hers. Her gaze travelled from his eyes down along his nose and stopped on his thin lips.

As they were both in the calm water of the river every memory of the fire vanished for a moment from Ronnie's mind, while John was hardly believing this was happening for real and not in one of his dreams. He could feel all the softness of her skin and their hearts racing under the layers of flesh and bandages that divided them. 

That warmth and feeling of safety washed over them like during their first meetings, bringing back cozy memories.

John's arms held her more firmly and when she relaxed her body and closed her eyes, with a painfully slow movement he leaned forward, until his lips almost touched hers.

"WHOA, THERE!"

Roger's yell filled the air, scaring some birds that were minding their own business on a tree nearby and almost giving John a heart attack. Ronnie opened her eyes wide and, realizing what had almost happened, she pulled away from John's grip and landed in the river, hiding her face in her hands while slowly sinking in the water.

That way she didn't see how also John's face became fully red and he looked away, casually running a hand in his hair.

"I thought you two were  _ friends _ , friends don't do  _ that _ !" Roger said out loud while walking closer, followed by Brian and Frederick.

"I- She- she slipped on the rock and I j-just caught her, she could've hit her head!" John stammered, raising his voice trying to defend himself.

"Yeeeah and then? You were about to  _ kiss _ her!" The Dwarf scoffed.

John mouthed an inaudible "I was not".

"Huh? I think you just imagined that, Rog." 

Out of the blue and putting on a perfect bronze face, Frederick spat out a clear lie with such a convincing voice that Roger widened his already big eyes. 

"Shut up, Tiefling!"

"I was right here and honestly he just caught her and saved her head." Jim remarked with nonchalance. He's always been there, even closer to John and Veronica than the other three and John  _ knew _ he saw everything. 

He wondered why were both defending them so much.

Ronnie glanced at Brian, her eyes pleading to play Freddie and Jim's game. 

The Elf darted his gaze among all of them, specially onto John and Ronnie. He always had the sensation there was something deeper than simple friendship between the two, just looking at their expressions while sleeping cuddled to each other and how they both behaved was enough to understand it. It wasn't a brotherly bond, it wasn't a childhood friendship, Brian knew. And tho even if his rational thought told him to stop them and try to bring Veronica back to her church's rules… Brian shook his head and listened to his heart.

"Roger, maybe you got blinded by the sunset's reflections on the water. Do you really believe John would do such a thing?" He patted Roger's shoulder and gave Ronnie a gaze that showed his support. 

"Brian, I know my sight isn't the best, you don't need to remind me! Fuck." The Dwarf shook Brian's hand away from his shoulder and stomped his feet towards the riverside, going on to grumpily mumble something.

Everyone else stood in the river, looking at his back disappearing through the trees in the wagon’s direction. The silence was painfully thick now, interrupted only by the sound of the river’s flowing. 

John hung his head with a loud sigh.

“Sorry.” he whispered to all of them and followed Roger, collecting his own clothes on the way.

The three men in the river glanced at Ronnie who was still almost fully immersed in the water, her eyes lost in her own thoughts, not really eager to talk with any of them; Brian noticed the sun was about to go down and suggested to get dry and dressed for dinner.

\---*---

“Roger.” John was looking for the Dwarf. He absolutely needed to explain himself, or else he knew Roger would overreact and be more upset than usual, as if the recent events didn’t already upset him enough. Eventually he got that everyone except Roger -even Brian!- had understood what was going on between him and Veronica, and Roger deserved to know as well.

“Roger?!” He called once again when he finally saw a short blond figure stomping his feet among the trees. It didn’t take John a lot to reach him with his long legs.

“Sir Taylor, please, listen to me…”

“I’m tired of being constantly treated like an idiot, wizard!” Roger stopped abruptly and yelled at John’s face. “I knew there was something between the two of you but no, you kept saying all those bullshit about friendship and stuff, even she tried to convince me about that! And I believed it!”

John stepped back.

“It’s… it’s not what you think, Roger, I was sincere when I said I was meant to be just her friend. Please listen to my words before doing anything!” He stared in Roger’s blue eyes, keeping a hand on his own heart. It was the first time the Dwarf heard him talking with such intensity and his instinct kept telling him just to be mad for the lies and excuses, but if there’s something he had recently learned is that not everything worked like his instinct suggested. So he crossed his arms and furrowed his brows.

“You better be convincing, Human. This is not a joke, it’s a serious matter.”

“I… I’ve known Veronica for a few weeks before the mission’s beginning, it didn't take me long to figure out I had- I have feelings for her, but still I couldn’t believe she felt the same for me when she told me. I know,  _ we both _ know she has that vow upon her and… and so we decided that behaving “just like friends” was the best thing to do during the travel, maybe that would’ve changed something, lessened the feelings, but instead…” John spat out in a hurry, shaking his head as he felt tears stinging in his eyes. If there was something he hated was to express his feelings, to say out loud his thoughts. It was as painful as a knife stabbing his guts.

“... I think I love her even more.” 

He let his body lean against a tree while he struggled to stand up and stared at the ground, trying to avoid Roger.

The Dwarf let out a long, deep huff and scratched his head. 

“What happened earlier… wasn’t planned, I had a moment of… I don’t know, weakness? Shit, I'm still supposed to not… not love her.” John slid a hand on his face, aware that he screwed everything up. Probably right now she was more confused and frightened than him, and he was about to be stabbed by Roger...

“Mate.” Roger’s voice called quietly. 

“Honestly: at first I thought you weren’t a good guy and hid some shady intentions against her or something like that. And as much as I’m not happy to find out about all of this just now, I understand you are confused.” 

John looked at the blonde, not really sure it’s been him who talked so calmly. 

“You mean… really?” He asked a bit taken aback and Roger nodded, leaning his back against another tree.

“The deity that gave me my powers is Sune, goddess of beauty and love. She’s never been a good friend with me as Ilmater has been with Veronica, but she has taught me to fight for those who I love and to protect love itself, that’s sure. And as much as I see this goes against her church’s rules I personally think it’s bullshit to prevent someone to be in love. I mean, it’s not my business, I usually get people into following the laws and punish those who don't, but love is something that goes above laws and rules, it’s the most powerful energy among all the realms. You’re lucky she returns the feelings, if you’re sure you can make each other happy I have no role in it.” 

They stared at each other in silence for a moment, John quite not believing Roger's words.

“You’ve always been so suspicious about the two of us, are you sure of what you’re saying now?”

“As I said, I was just checking your intentions. After all, my job right now is to be her bodyguard and keep her safe until we arrive in Nolfast and I had no idea of who you were, you weren’t even supposed to come with us, you know.”

“Yeah…” 

“And sorry if I yelled at you earlier, but it was you who told me you were just friends and that was settled for me. Because of who I am I take love very seriously, you’re in or you’re out. Not knowing things makes me fucking mad! So next time don't hide from me and tell everything in my face.” He gave the Human a friendly punch on the arm. “Just… don’t fuck it up now, if her church finds out it’s a big deal.”

“I know, that’s what worries me…” John brushed his hand where Roger punched him.

“I suggest you to lower your profiles and avoid any smooching or hand holding while we’re in a city or village. People talk.” A third voice came out of nowhere and suddenly Brian appeared in front of them from behind a tree, bowing to his shocked friends.

“Sorry, I followed you two but it’s just me.”

“What’s your fucking problem, Brian?!” Roger exclaimed, waving his hands.

“Curiosity. Frederick is now talking with Miss Veronica, seems like she told about her heart troubles to Jim and while John was eager to talk with you, Rog, I was the last one to stay out of this. Forgive me if I overheard, John... I intend to support you anyway, I know how much you and the girl care for each other.”

The human scanned Brian and Roger, convincing himself that there was no reason to hide from them. It seemed almost impossible that those two companions who used to keep their eyes on him and were so reluctant to trust him at the beginning were now giving him their blessing and support. He wasn’t a religious man, but still wondered if up there Sune and Ilmater were looking down at him. 

“Thank you, guys.. really.” He smiled sheepishly and Brian gave him the thumbs up. 

Now all he had to do was to talk with Veronica, which now felt like the most difficult task ever.

\---*---

“We have a biiig heart problem here, do we? Jim told me you and Deaky are having some troubles and I saw it myself.” Frederick sat cross-legged on the rock next to Veronica, nudging her shoulder and showing a grin. 

“Why is everyone so interested in John and I?” she scoffed, holding her knees against her chest.

“Oh, darling, trust me when I say I’m an expert in love and heartbreaks! And the tension between you two is as thick as molasses... And when you were finally about to kiss, poof! Roger ruined the moment!”

Ronnie pinched her nose and let out an annoyed grunt.

“Nothing was about to happen, he just caught me as I was falling! We weren’t about to kiss. At all.”

“Why do you keep holding back and neglecting your love? Deaky is head over heels for you and I saw how you two looked at each other today. And yesterday and the day before. But you don’t want to even talk to him, poor thing.” 

“I’m sorry if I’m scared of being burned alive for being a sinner!” Her voice raised and she shot a fierce stare at the Tiefling.

“Boom. That’s what I wanted to hear from you. Tell me, saint princess,  _ how _ would your church exactly find out if you broke the vow?” He leaned forward and gave her a smug look.   
“You’re trying to make me fall in temptation, Tiefling.” She narrowed her eyes.

“I’m trying to solve this tricky situation and allow you to be happy.” Fred nudged her shoulder once again and Ronnie sighed.

“And why would you want me to be happy?”   
“Because I love love, darling! I love seeing people in love, I love reading about love, I love singing about love! So, how would they find out?”

"They, uh… there's a medical inspection to check if… if a girl isn't a virgin anymore." Frederick noticed her cheeks flushing and immediately understood what she meant.

"Mmh so it's all practical, as I suspected." He nodded, gears visibly working in his brain. "While on the emotional side?" 

"Well, I mean, the rule is 'don't commit yourself to anyone other than your God', which means I should love only Ilmater and remain pure for him… And I really do love my God, for real. But with John is different, I don’t know how to explain it." The cleric let out a sigh, resting her chin on her knees. 

It was true, she deeply loved both John and Ilmater, but while her god was more like a father, a guide and a protector, John was  _ here, _ tangible and so human, with his troubles and imperfections she loved so much. And if Ilmater's arms existed only in her soul, John's arms were protecting her at fullest, here on Earth. That was the difference she wasn't able to say out loud right now but she's been feeling since the beginning.

"It’s ok, don’t worry, you don’t need to explain me everything, I understand. So... in the end they only check if you're virgin down there. No mind reading." Fred went on and Ronnie nodded.

"Mind reading was banned a century ago, I don’t really know for what reasons. But yes, they still do body checks." She shivered.

"Perverts." The Tiefling barked. "But it's an advantage for you, darling."    
Veronica gave him a questioning side glance and Freddie adjusted a bit next to her, sitting so he was facing her better and held her hands before talking in the sweetest voice Ronnie had heard coming from him.

"You know, in a relationship sex is just one of the many things you can do, it's not even obligatory to have sex! It's mutual trust, respect and affection that really matter. I know you're afraid of that inspection and to be judged, but you and Deaky can just exchange some smoochies every now and then, hold hands and cuddle, that’s what couples do as well! And if you get in Nolfast and they look down there… nothing! In the meantime you’ve been a happy lovebird. How does that sound, better?" 

Ronnie’s eyes wandered shyly from Frederick’s stare to his hands and then to the surroundings, thinking about the options he gave her. The fear of fire in her mind had cancelled every sweet thing that could've come with her love for John, making her think only about what would’ve happened if they consumed their passion and she got exposed. But Frederick was right, they didn’t have to  _ do _ it. And after her deliver in Nolfast? That was a jump into the blue, but she couldn’t deny she had been thinking about it as a way to be free...

"Yeah maybe... maybe you’re right... Oh, Frederick, I’ve been so awful,  _ so awful _ with him!" Veronica's voice cracked all of a sudden and a sob escaped her lungs. She didn't expect to cry like this, but all of her fears and worries began blurting out and squeezing her heart. Softly, Frederick winded an arm around her shoulders trying to soothe her.

"Oh, sweetie… I’m sure he’ll understand." 

John put the coat on his shoulders, his new, dry bandages still adjusting to his shapes underneath, and nervously walked towards the place Jim pointed him. 

That was when he saw Frederick sitting next to Veronica, an arm around her shoulders and he noticed she was crying. At first John tensed and his hand twitched ready to hit the Tiefling if he was trying to hurt her, but wiped that thought away when it was clear he was just being supportive.

"R-ronnie?" Both turned their heads towards him and the cleric reacted pushing Freddie aside, quickly standing and trying to wipe away her tears. 

John gave Freddie a questioning glare.

"What happened?"

_ "Open up your mind and let  _ him _ step inside, _

_ Rest your weary head and let your heart decide  _

_ It's so easy when you know the rules, _

_ It's so easy: _

_ All you have to do is fall in love. _

_ Play the game, everybody play the game... _

_ Of love!"  _ Frederick sang with passion and walked away, playfully swatting John’s arm before leaving them alone, heading to the rest of the group.

John followed him with his eyes before staring at Veronica, who was sitting again on the rock trying to wipe her tears away.

"Did… did he hurt you?" He asked, taking Frederick’s spot next to her.

"No, no… he actually helped me." She gave him a little smile, sniffling. "I'm sorry if I pushed you away these days, I was-"

"Scared. I know, Ronnie."

"I needed to understand what to do. How to go on. I'm sorry if I played with your feelings and hurt you." She let out a sob and instinctively he softly wrapped his arms around hers, cradling her head on his chest. 

"It's ok, I understand. I didn't want to push you either, that's why I stayed by myself. I know you have been scared by the fire, and I'm sorry because I didn't really know how to help. What happened earlier…”

“Wasn’t planned, I know.” she whispered.

“It’s been quite embarrassing, to be honest.” John blushed thinking at the kiss they almost exchanged in the river, half naked and in front of everyone else.   
“Yeah-” Ronnie let out a chuckle and tried to calm down her tears, breathing slowly against John's chest before pulling away and wearing a serious expression on her face.

“John, listen… I’ve talked with sir Mercury about what happened today and in the days before and I came up with a decision.” She said solemnly and he stared in her eyes, patiently waiting. 

“I’d just love to stay in your arms without the fear of being discovered, without feeling my superiors’ eyes on me… I  _ know _ Ilmater is protecting me and giving me his blessing, I should just focus on that and pray. Now...”   
“Ronnie, really, don’t feel oblig-”   
“No, wait, let me finish!" He cut him off pressing a finger on his lips. "This ‘being just friends’ isn’t working, we saw it today and we both know. I want to hold your hands, to laugh with you, to heal your wounds and ease your pain, to stay next to you without holding back, for real. You make me feel safe, you listen to me and always protect me while I am so reckless... I love you, John, and I want to let you know every time I feel to. This is what I've decided.”

John’s eyes trailed up from her hand to her flushed cheeks, to those same gentle eyes that captured his heart weeks and weeks ago and were shining with tears. She said she  _ liked _ him once, that night in the library when she also asked him to be just friends, for good. And now she just confessed her love, that love he knew was growing in their hearts and desperately asked to come out from the cage of fear and worries. 

“I-if you don’t want-” She stammered, taken aback by his green eyes, but John grabbed her shoulders and let out a sudden “No!” 

They stared at each other for a moment with wide eyes.

“Veronica I… I love you too! I really, really love you since the beginning! Can… can I kiss you?” His voice was frantic, almost desperate asking something that has been in his throat for such a long time and now he let out as if it was his last occasion slipping off his fingers. It was now or never. 

Ronnie felt her smile growing and nodded with all the energy she had.

“Please, do it!”

He just needed the words. Their lips crashed, not slowly and uncertainly like they tried to do earlier, before being interrupted, but quickly and with eagerness, diving their fingers in their hair to keep each other closer. It was a quite chaste kiss, no tongues and bites involved, but instead they lingered on the shape, on the taste of their lips, on how it felt to be finally together this way. 

When they parted John's eyes wrinkled with his smile and Ronnie threw herself in his arms once again, a happiness she never felt before glowing in her heart. 

They stayed embraced like this for a while, not really aware of the time passing and just feeling as light as feathers, when Jim called them for dinner and they headed to the campsite hand in hand.

\---*---

A small shiver ran down John's neck, echoing a thunder that roared far away.   
He didn't care and held Veronica's hand as they sat in front of the bonfire.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading ahhhh I'm happy finally some issues have been settled between John and Ronnie!   
> In the next chapter you'll see some more interactions between the other boys, some new DnD action and a really REALLY important revelation! As always I hope you've liked this chapter, leave a comment to let me know your thoughts! ((Sorry I'm so slow at writing omg I have so many things I want to write)) ((I wasn't really sure about Roger's reaction at finding out abt John and Ronnie, I hope it doesn't feel too unnatural))


	10. I need your loving tonight

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "A small shiver ran down John's neck, echoing a thunder that roared far away. He didn't care and held Veronica's hand as they sat in front of the bonfire." This is where we left them... the thunders are arriving and some important things about John will finally be revealed. This chapter is very long compared to the others (8k words!) and I've put a lot of stuff in it, everything very important for future events. I suggest you to take all the time you need to read this, I'm aware it's not always easy to read such long chapters all at once but I couldn't split it-  
> Enjoy!

_ Roaring clouds above the barn's open roof, strong wind screaming and rain pouring on the big machine. Two spells casted together to summon the sky's wrath and two thunderbolts crashing against the metallic orb.  _

_ But something wasn't right, something was not under control. _

_ "Son, keep it steady!" _

_ "I can't, it's too strong!" The boy tried to stay focused on the bolt, but its energy was shaking it uncontrollably and the rain was soaking his clothes, making him even weaker and stumbling, slipping on the floor.  _

_ "Son, channel it here, not there!" _

_ "It's too much, I can't, I can't! We have to stop!" _

_ The earth rumbled, angry and powerful under their feet. _

_ "No, you can do it! Come on!"  _

_ "I…!!!" _

_ And then everything vanished in light, his body got torn apart by the electricity and metallic shards exploded everywhere. _

John screamed at the top of his lungs and clutched to his bandages, his eyes wide open. 

Brian, Jim, Frederick and Roger, who was on guard duty, were all staring at him while he tried to catch his breath and move some hair from his sweating forehead. 

"Mate, you okay?" Roger asked with concern but the Human was out of words.

John shivered when he felt Veronica's hand on his heart: he woke her up as well and stared in her worried eyes. She softly brushed her hand on his beating and binded chest, trying to soothe him. 

"Was it a nightmare?" She murmured. 

He nodded and gently took her hand off his chest, placing it on her lap.

"Yes, I…" he stammered and looked at his companions. "...a big storm is coming this way, we better walk faster tomorrow and reach the first city as soon as possible." He concluded in a mechanical voice before standing up and walking away.

"I need to stay alone for a moment, excuse me." 

Veronica stared at his back hiding in the shadows and leaning behind a tree far from prying eyes, her heart feeling heavy.

She didn't know anything yet about  _ how and when _ he got those scars, but seeing how his hand clutched against them she knew they were what he dreamed of.

"Miss Veronica?" Brian's voice called her from the other side of the bonfire. She had all their eyes on her now, everyone hoping to have an explanation. 

She shook her head, not knowing what to tell them either. 

"I think you should go to him…" the Elf added with a soft smile.

John's mind was buzzing, his emotions and memories deafening every rational thought while he felt the storm getting closer. There was no sign of it at the horizon but he knew it was arriving, he always knew. After the accident he became able to sense the electricity in the air and 'see' the storms before anyone else. And he became unable to sleep during a thunderstorm. 

Now he was just wishing to find an inn where to stay and lock himself in a room, away from his companions, like a scared and ill cat until the storm had passed. He cursed the sky for punishing him so soon after he had finally found some peace with Ronnie.  


He heard steps coming towards him and exhaled sharply, not really ready to talk with anyone.

"Hey, John…" Veronica's voice came like a soft breeze to his ears and she appeared next to him.

She looked in his eyes, her features trembling with the bonfire's light, and slowly brushed her hand against his. 

"Is everything alright? Do you want to talk?" She questioned, linking her fingers with his and gently rocking her hand like children do. 

The human stared at her in silence, trying to replace the images of that terrible night with her eyes, with her hair, with her lips. It wasn't working.

"You were right, I had a nightmare." He whispered and looked away. "Guess I'll never get used to it." 

"Is it about… the scars?" Her voice trembled, unsure of asking it. He nodded, his eyes still linked with the forest's darkness.

Ronnie stared at his profile, the wounds on his chest were healed but the one in his heart was still there, breaking him from the inside, the only visible sign in his sad eyes. 

She stepped closer and held him tight, pushing her face against his chest. 

As he slid a hand along her back, his heart clenched. 

She was listening to his heartbeat, cradling him in her warm hug, and her hair's scent was beginning to make him lose his mind. The urge to hug her tighter, to kiss her, to feel loved as he didn't deserve it, everything painfully washed through him, and even if they were now officially together he didn't want to surrender to his eagerness in a selfish attempt to forget his own pain. 

Carefully, John grabbed her arms and moved her off his chest. 

"What…?" 

"I'm sorry, I…" he sighed, hiding his face with his long hair. "Whenever there is a storm I need to stay alone."

"Are you… cursed, like a werewolf or something?" She questioned.

"No, no. Just… I feel very sick. I don't want anyone around, I don't want to hurt you." 

Slowly, Ronnie got closer and leaned her forehead on his chest once again, closing her eyes. She knew he'd never hurt her, but she also understood this was an important matter for John. He showed her his weaker side at their first encounter and she couldn't fail him this time.

"Okay." She whispered against his chest and squeezed his hands, raising her head. "Don't worry, I won't tell them anything about this, just trust me. Come back to the campsite?" John's heart fluttered at her kind and reassuring smile. He nodded and allowed her to guide him to their companions, holding her hand.

"Guys." She announced. "John sensed a big storm incoming, we should look for an inn as soon as we arrive in the next city."

Brian nodded and raised a hand to speak: while John and Veronica were away he used some of his druidic abilities to check the weather. 

"I confirm your suspicions about the storm. It's coming from the North West and I second on looking for a place to sleep."

Ronnie gave John a side smile. "Also, if I may add, I'd kill to have a good hot bath…" she whined and all of them chuckled in agreement. 

\---*---

The closest city was called Egwals, a pretty town well known by tourists attracted by the old Elven buildings and the many fountains spreaded all around the city. It was also famous for a big Druid Market where Jim had been working at for a few years. Brian was eager to visit it, hoping the storm wouldn't hit too roughly. 

On the road to the city, Ronnie couldn't leave John's hand. All kinds of worries filled her heart trying to imagine what happened to him during a storm, and he didn’t want to talk about it right now with everyone’s ears ready to listen.

Jim's wagon suddenly hit a hole in the road and with a jump one of the wheels broke, stopping the cart. 

Dorothy let out a startled neigh and a flood of Orc curses streamed out of Jim's mouth, leaving the rest of the team quite impressed and Frederick very amused. 

The wagon not only missed a wheel now, but the other three were quite ruined as well and the roof wasn't in the best conditions either, a simple repair spell not enough to fix all the holes and cracks. After a deep sigh, Jim took a decision. 

"Guys I don't think this ol' clunker will make it to the city… we have to walk, but if anyone's tired can ride Dorothy for a while." 

"And the wagon?" Brian asked with worry.

"I'll leave it here, maybe some animals will use it as a shelter. I'll buy a new one in the next city." 

And so they kept walking, making shifts on the horse to relieve their feet. John was worried that without the wagon they wouldn't have made it to the city in time, but when they finally saw its lights and houses he took it back. The sun was setting and the dark, plumpy clouds were already on the horizon, threatening the sky.

“Now I’ll show you how my devilry doesn’t have only negative effects!” Frederick ran ahead of the group as soon as they stepped in Egwals and theatrically waved his hands around, bringing out his flamboyant and slightly devilish character. Brian and Roger shared a confused glare.

“Follow me, my friends! I know the perfect place where to get comfy and even have a warm bath!” He announced and guided the group through the city. 

“What does he mean?!” Roger asked Jim, but the Half-Orc shrugged, having no idea.

“I mean, my dear blondie-” the Tiefling turned around and kept walking backwards while facing Roger. “It just so happens that I’m friend to the owner of the best hotel in this town! I’ve done him some naughty favors in the past and he promised me a big discount whenever I needed to stay at his place. Tonight’s on me, darlings!” 

Ronnie let out a delighted gasp, very excited to see a real hotel for the first time. There weren’t many on the land and they were usually much more expensive than inns and taverns, being equipped with running fresh water in each room and a single big common bath with hot water. She had also heard about how soft their beds were, already imagining herself sleeping on a cloud. 

After a while they finally arrived at the Hotel and Frederick introduced himself, while a guy in uniform took Dorothy to the hotel’s barn. 

As soon as they got inside they were greeted by an elegant Tiefling with pink-ish skin and a warm smile, who squeezed Frederick in a tight hug. 

“Fred, how long!” He laughed and swatted the warlock’s arm. 

“Right? I’ve wandered around for a while, but look! I’ve made some friends!” 

“Friends and not foes? That’s great!” The hotel’s owner shook hands with everyone and bowed at Veronica, softly kissing her hand. “I’m Joe Fanelli, feel free to call me Joe. Welcome to my hotel!” 

“Is your offer still valid? We need some rooms for tonight.” Frederick went straight to the point. 

“Sure, I’ll make you half the price and I’ll even let you use the hot springs for free, all included! But I’m afraid there’s a _but_.” Joe's expression darkened a bit as he looked outside the hall's windows. “There’s a rather strong storm incoming and the hotel is almost full, I have only two rooms available: one double and one familiar that holds four people.”

“I’ll take the double.” John blurted out all of a sudden, gaining everyone’s glare upon him.

“Hey that’s not fair!” Roger groaned. “We should decide all together!”

“Trust me, it’s better for you all if you leave me alone.” the Human fought back, nervously gritting his teeth. He could sense the storm getting closer every minute and all he wanted now was to curl up in a bed and stay there by himself.

Roger was ready to reply harshly, but Veronica took his hand.

“Let him, Roger…” she pleaded and his eyes softened. 

“Sooo… Deaky takes the smaller room, who’s with him?” Frederick asked, even if he knew the answer.

An awkward silence ran across them while Joe patiently waited.

“I guess we all know who should stay with him-” Brian hinted, looking at the Half-Elf cleric. 

Ronnie felt her cheeks flush at the idea of sharing a private room with John, as if they didn’t spend the past month sleeping cuddled to each other already. It was just the context that made her perception change slightly. She nodded, wiping these thoughts away: she was there to aid John now, and not vice versa, whatever happened to him during the storm.

“John.” Brian called him. “All I’m asking you is: does the storm somehow make you dangerous? For Veronica, I mean. Do you lose control or transform... like a werewolf or a werebear?”

“Uhm, we don’t accept werewolves and such creatures in our Hotel…” Joe pointed out.

“No, no, I just… I just get sick. And don’t really want to see anyone... “ He replied, a hand running on his arm to soothe himself.

“Like a fever?” Freddie asked with worry and John nodded. 

“Just for me though, it’s not contagious.”

"Okay then, you and Veronica take the double room, we take the familiar." Frederick confirmed to Joe, who signed all the papers and gave them the keys.

While going up to their rooms, John sheepishly smiled at his companions. 

“Thanks.”

\---*---

John and Veronica's room was small but very cozy, with thick embroidered curtains at the windows and crimson tapestry on the walls. There was a little stove in a corner with enough wood to warm up the room for a night and a sink with running clean water on the other corner, in case any of them wanted to get refreshed. 

The double bed had matching covers with the rest of the room, with delicate embroidery and fluffy cushions. For Ronnie's simple tastes it was all almost too opulent, while it was in fact just a clean and a medium standard room for a hotel. 

The Half-Elf sat on the bed and unrolled her precious documents on the mattress, stretching out some wrinkles on the parchment and taking a look at the ink. There were some signs here and there because of the travel, but they were still in good condition and she let out a relieved sigh. 

"Do you remember it all?" John asked from behind her back while he was unpacking his bag. 

"Yes, yes. Just checking they're not ruined. I'm not so eager to stay there extra time to redictate these documents in case they need to be rewritten, I just want to deliver them and… and go." She scoffed.

"Go back to Fanose?"

"I don't know… not really." Ronnie sighed. "It would be… it would be nice to stay with you. Maybe do that thing of the adventure team Freddie has been talking about." Shaking her shoulders, she folded the parchment and put it back in her bag as her cheeks flushed lightly.

"You want to be an adventurer then… don’t you want to stay in a quiet home instead?" John grinned, sitting on the mattress next to her. Even if he wasn't aware of it, that was more a question for himself than for her.  


"Oh, having a nice home, raising some kids in a quiet place. That would be perfect. But yeah maybe going on some adventure every now and then sounds fun as well!" Ronnie gave him a dreamy look and a smile, fantasizing like a curious teenager.

"I like this adventurous side of yours, you know?" He knew she was still conflicted about her future but he didn't want to stop her mind from its wonders. And he couldn't deny he was very happy to see her daydreaming like this, including him in her life. If her plans became real… he could be the happiest man on earth.

"I know, I know! But I'll be careful too, don't worry." She playfully nudged his shoulder and stood up.

"Shall we go dine?" At her question, John's smile faded.  


"I… I'm not really hungry. I think I'll stay here, warm up the room for tonight and rinse myself a little." He squirmed uncomfortably in his robe.

"Are you… are you feeling sick already?" She asked, worries creeping again in her guts.

"Just a little, I can feel it's beginning…" with a sigh he stared into her eyes and gave her a little smile.

"Go dine with the others, I'll wait here."

"Okay, then… it won't take too long, I promise." 

The boys' room was bigger and, as Joe already explained, it was a room for a family with a double bed and two single beds, curtains and bedsheets similar to John and Ronnie's room but in a delicate cream and gold tones. 

They all stood in the room looking around.

"Sooo…" Roger tried to begin.

"Well, I think the only ones comfortable with sleeping together are Jimmy and I, unless you two decide to expand your horizons-" Freddie chuckled at the druid and the paladin, whose lips twitched in an uncomfortable and quite disgusted expression.

"That bed is all yours, but please for the love of every god in the pantheon don't let me be a witness of your lovemaking!" Roger grunted and tossed his helmet on one of the single beds, claiming it as his.

Jim's face flushed brightly while Frederick bloomed in a crystalline laugh. 

"Don't worry darling, as much as I'd always love a nice shag with this big boy I'm not a complete savage, we respect your presence here! We'll just enjoy this fluffy bed for a good night of rest."

Brian let out a small laugh and tested the bed, that was surprisingly not leaving his feet out of frame. Meanwhile Roger and Jim admired the running water and the stove in their room, refreshing themselves a little before Fred suggested to go downstairs for dinner. 

"Where's Deaky?" Brian asked as soon as Ronnie joined them at the table all alone.

"He's not hungry, I'll bring him a piece of bread and a fruit later anyway." 

The four boys exchanged a worried look and ordered something to eat, while a thick rain began to hit the windows and fill the room with its sound.

"Is it the first time he's… like this?" Roger couldn't contain his curiosity, but everyone had a ton of questions for Ronnie about John even if they somehow knew she wouldn't have told too much.

"Since I met him, yes, and I don't really know what happens to him on these occasions… guess I'll find out tonight." She shrugged, munching a bite of an incredibly tasty and soft steak. 

"I wonder what's his trouble…" Frederick mumbled. "He's such an interesting person, with those bandages around his chest…"

"I bet he's got a sort of magic tattoo underneath!" Roger chuckled. 

"I think there's a big scar made by some kind of huge sword, something he got during a fight with a legendary warrior!" The Tiefling guessed back and Brian rolled his eyes.

"Oh come on!"

"What's your guess, Bri?" It was now a game and Frederick was curious to know Brian's bet. 

"I, uhh… I think he's got burned by a creature who spits fire. Mmh, not a dragon, maybe a hellhound…" 

"Ooh that's rough-" The Dwarf nodded and took a sip of beer. 

It was inevitable that the next moment everyone glued their eyes on Ronnie, who had listened carefully and was quite amused by their assumptions. 

"Maybe Veronica knows what's under the bandages." Jim raised an eyebrow and gave her a smile.

She almost choked on her meal and Jim had to help her with a sip of water, apologising.

"I- well, I mean-" she stammered but then regained a bit of confidence. "I know, but I've promised him to keep it secret! He'll tell you when -and  _ if- _ he's ready. Please respect that. I don't know about tonight, though..." 

Freddie's pointy ears twitched with interest.

"So you know what's under the bandages but not what's troubling him tonight, hmm!" He grinned mischievously. 

"Frederick, don't bother her!" Brian reprised him. 

"Well, maybe if she tells us we can figure out what happened to him and how to help!"

"Thanks for the offer, sir Mercury, but I'll find out later by myself." She declared. "And forgive my honesty but I believe I'm the only one who can help him at the moment."

Roger smiled at himself and gave Ronnie a smug grin, moving his hand in a rather explicit gesture. "I know some tricks you can do to make him feel better." 

"ROGER!" Brian smashed his fist on the table and a chorus of groans and curses rose from their seats. 

"For fuck's sake, I was joking!" He moaned before apologising to poor Veronica whose face was once again ruby red, but she ended up laughing with all of them. 

"I'm sorry to disappoint you, but  _ that's _ not what we're going to do tonight!" 

She knew that being alone in the room with an emotionally unstable John was a challenge and she had to not get crushed by too many emotions and desires, but she was aware of her limits and she had to help him as professionally as she could. 

_ 'You can do it, Vee.' _ She thought to herself and chose to face the upcoming night with determination. 

\---*---

_Background music suggestion to read this part of the chapter:_ [MUSIC ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wl7Sl-7hdXg)(Frostpunk OST - Storm theme)

The storm got closer, blocking the moon and the stars above its dark veil. Huge, black clouds roared angrily and thin filaments of pure energy flashed across them, while huge raindrops stabbed the ground and hit their windows like a shower of stones. 

Storms have always been fascinating to Veronica, who had always had fun staring at the flashing lights and counting how many seconds passed between light and sound. Not really knowing  _ why _ , but she knew that every flash had its own boom afterwards.

"You're clever, not everyone got it." John patted her shoulder when she asked about it. "You're right, when you see lightning it also makes a sound, but sound is slower than light so it reaches our ears later. The smaller is the gap between light and sound, the closer the lightning is to you."

The cleric's eyes shone with interest as she learned this new thing, finding out she's been right all this time, and grinned at John. 

She had just got back from dinner, after wishing a good night to the rest of the group, and offered John a loaf of bread and some tangerines she got at the hotel's restaurant. Ronnie immediately noticed how John was already paler and more nervous, but he accepted the food and ate silently while she told him of all the weird supposition their friends had about his secret.

Later he had to take off his robe and all his bandages, telling Ronnie he was feeling his skin burn and she felt a fever warming him up; now they were looking at the storm beginning outside the window, trying to wipe the tension away.

"I don't get it…" she pursed her lips as a question formed in her mind. John stared at her waiting for it.

"You're afraid of storms, somehow you've survived a thunderstruck… and yet you're studying electricity and science along with magic. Why?"

"I owe it to someone special." John replied in a whisper, hanging his head. "I'm not afraid of storms, Ronnie, I find electricity and science fascinating actually. I also use some electric spells myself and I'm able to control them. But storms,  _ real _ storms with thunders, wind and rain, they bring back… memories. In my mind and in my flesh. They make me sick and I can't do anything, you know." He shrugged, slightly revealing his bother about the matter. Without this issue all his studies would’ve been much easier… all his life would’ve been easier.

"Is it involuntary?" Ronnie asked. She’s seen some adult trauma survivors at the convent, but their cure were all reserved to higher ranks of clerics.

"Yeah, I can’t control it..." He lowered his head, blushing a little. "But thanks for keeping me company this time. Maybe I'll get over it one day..." 

A thunder boomed next to the hotel and John's body reacted all of a sudden as if he got hit in the guts, his hands gripping his head and a choked scream came out his lungs. 

Ronnie gasped and tried to hold him, but he jerked backwards as her touch had burned him. 

Another thunder and John groaned in pain, sitting on the mattress and curling up in fear, still holding his head as if it was about to explode.

"John, what's wrong?!" She was trying not to panic, not to call help.

"No, no!" He whined and squeezed his eyes, shivering and rocking his body like a scared child.

The storm released another stream of thunders and lightnings, triggering John even more who began shaking his head and muttering words Ronnie was unable to catch. He was calling for his father,  _ 'I can't do this' _ ,  _ 'I'm sorry' _ , were some of the words she understood and her confusion grew wider every moment as he was falling into a sort of trance.

Swallowing her own panic, she placed her hands on his shoulders, even if that hurt him for a moment, and tried to cast a healing spell on him. Soon she found out it was working just a little, soothing only his scars' pain but not whatever was broken inside of him. She needed to know  _ how _ to use her spell if she wanted to heal him.

Ronnie kneeled on the mattress in front of him, carefully placing her hands on his arms to bring him back to consciousness while he was trying to catch his breath. 

"John… John! You have to tell me what happened." 

He raised his eyes to meet hers. She's never seen them so grey, they were almost silver and filled with fear. 

"John, it's me, Veronica!" She called again, gently but also firmly.

Slowly his eyes focused on her and seemed to recognise his beloved Half-Elf in front of him. 

"Ronnie… I- I don't want to tell-" he cried and she felt her heart clenching.

"No, no, John…” she caressed his arms and softly shushing his sobs. “Shh… It’s ok, John, trust me, I'll keep your secret safe! But… you have to let it out from your chest or it will consume you forever."

"How do you know? How do you know it will make me feel better?" His voice was broken by desperation.

"I know, John. I'm here to listen and to heal you. But without knowing what happened I don't know how to help you, how to channel my magic… I only want to help." 

Another thunder and John's body shivered, tightening his grip on Ronnie's arm that he released right after. 

She was right, and she deserved to know. He didn't have to fear her, she was his angel sent him to save his life, and he trusted her and only her. He had been trusting her since she healed his wounds, since she accepted his pain and his silence, and since he confessed his feelings. She had always been so patient, she  _ had _ to know. She could've helped him.

Slowly, John sat better on the bed crossing his legs and took her hands in his.

"Okay." He said, closing his eyes and inhaling sharply. Now he couldn't go back.

"I was eleven. My dad was a wizard and taught me the basics of magic, I was his disciple other than his son. He considered himself not just a wizard but also a scientist and used magic to make experiments. I told you how I'm studying to use magic and science to help people, right?" He opened his eyes to find Veronica's.

"Yes, yes I remember." She nodded.

"That was my father's dream, I'm just following the path he traced for me.

One night we decided it was time to make the big experiment. The goal was to summon a thunder during a storm and control it to hit a machine he built. That machine was a sort of container for the thunder's energy that would've been redistributed later. 

But I was only eleven, apparently too little and too inexperienced to control a thunderbolt. We thought I was able to do it, but..."

A thunder roared outside the window and sent a shiver through John's body, but he tried to go on.

"The storm was roaring above our heads, the rain pouring inside the barn from the open roof, and I was unsteady on my feet, I was scared of failing." He squeezed his eyes shut, fighting against the knot in his throat.

"When we summoned the thunder, it split in two and while my father managed to control his bolt, it was too much for me to control mine. It was like trying to catch a dragon with my bare hands, it moved and squirmed out of control, it was burning and crackling with anger above my head! I remember my father's voice screaming at me and commanding me to hit the machine with the thunder but I couldn't do it…" he choked a sob and felt Veronica's hands holding his tighter.

"I totally lost control of it and everything exploded in a white flash of light. I remember the feeling of my body tearing apart, the thunder spearing my neck and filling my whole body, my lungs were burning and it was like exploding in thousands of little pieces, except I didn't. The machine did, sending me to the other side of the barn and throwing metallic shreds all around." 

John's tears were now pouring down his cheeks again as he kept talking, the Half-Elf collecting every word with care and slowly understanding the origin of his pain. He let out a sharp sigh before going on with his story.

"I don't know for how long I lost my senses, I remember my sister's voice screaming that somehow I was still alive, I was breathing and my heart was beating. I woke up two weeks later, barely able to move, and I found out my father was dead. One of the biggest metallic splinters from the explosion got embedded in his chest. Mom and Julie immediately ran in the barn after the explosion to see what happened and found a complete disaster: I was half burned on the floor and father was on the other side among metallic shreds and burned pieces of the machine. 

He died in my mother's arms and the last thing he said has been  _ "John didn't control it." _ "

At this statement, John's brows furrowed and he clamped a hand on his mouth, his whole body crouching on the bed while he let out another sob. Ronnie didn't notice she started crying as well until she wrapped her arms around his shoulders and felt the wetness of her own tears against his skin. It was even worse than what she had imagined and her hands instinctively began to caress his head, in a weak attempt to soothe him.

"Since that day I can't survive a thunderstorm without reviving those moments and feeling my flesh burning again… and it's all my fault. It's my fault if father is dead, mother disowned me because I killed him and my sister is terrified of me and of magic!" He broke down sobbing and Veronica hurried to lean his head on her chest and slowly rocking him, letting his tears flow out and allowing some to flow from her own eyes too.

"No, no John, it's not your fault… You were just a child, that was too dangerous…"

"I don't want to blame my father for recklessness, he knew what he was doing! I made a mistake! I killed him!" He replied, his voice raspy with tears, trying desperately to keep all the fault on himself, unable to stop his thoughts from slipping out.

Slowly, Ronnie shook her head and cupped his cheeks, her eyes asking him to look at her. 

"John, that was a terrible accident, I'm so sorry… I'm not here to blame you nor your father, It's too late to do anything about it. But you don't have to be so hard on yourself. You were just a child…" 

She tried to wipe away a tear on his cheek, just so a new one ran down the same wet path. John closed his eyes and leaned his forehead against hers while a thunder rumbled outside, lighting up the hotel's room and making his guts tighten. They stayed like that for a while, trying to slow down the flood of emotions and the breaks in their breaths. 

"Veronica…" he murmured her name as if that alone would've been enough to wipe away the storm. "Please, help me."

She felt him shivering, his wounded skin twitching and burning under her fingertips whenever a new lightning shone out the window. 

"Yes. What can I do?" Her reply was only a whisper and he tilted his head a little, his nose brushing against hers.

"Stay with me… make me forget." 

More tears ran down John's cheeks and Ronnie closed her eyes while her hands brushed the back of his head, running through his soft brown hair. His request was all she needed.

"I'm here." 

She replied in a whisper and he locked his lips with hers while his hands gripped her hair to pull her closer.

It was different from their first kiss on the riverside, Ronnie could taste all his pain in his salty tears as they kissed with passion, no more shame or fear between each other but a pool of sadness and repressed feelings that only their closeness would've been able to dry away. 

John got hungry, desperately trying to find a grip on her love, to paint her perfume, her taste, the shapes of her body, all over his painful past. And Ronnie accepted it, kissing him deeper and deeper, tasting him on her tongue, letting herself free to the love she has always been denied of and she's been keeping locked in her heart waiting for a moment like this. 

While catching their breaths between kisses, John propped Veronica on his lap and pulled her closer while her hands ran from his shoulders to his chest and then again all over his back sending shivers down his spine. Her touch was like ice on his burning skin and he let out a hiss before diving on her mouth again and lifting her shirt, feeling the soft skin of her back with his fingertips. 

Ronnie's mind was buzzing while brand new feelings grew inside of her, she was in heaven as everything around them disappeared and John was the only real thing, alive and  _ tangible  _ under her hands. Unlike her God. 

The loudest thunder until now exploded right in front of the hotel, waking both up from their dream and Ronnie let out a yelp at the sudden sound while John cursed.

They both stared into each other's eyes breathlessly, confused and overwhelmed.

"You… you okay?" John whispered caressing her head, putting his own troubles aside for a moment. 

The Half-Elf nodded and leaned her forehead against his, her chest rhythmically rising up and down. 

"Yes…" she replied and pulled away, creating a little distance between their bodies. Slowly she realised that if it wasn't for that thunder she probably wouldn't have been able to stop herself, noticing how close to the edge she was walking right now. 

"I'm sorry, I've exaggerated…" John lowered his head, aware of how he was letting himself go too far as well. 

"I've enjoyed it, actually." She let out a little chuckle and stared at him with a shy smile, before shrugging. "Just… maybe we should stop here…" 

"Sure, yes, I mean… sorry…" He felt a glimpse of guilt and shame building in his guts and tried to hide in his curtain of hair, but Veronica caught him in a soft hug, careful to not hurt him.

"It's ok, John, don't worry." She gave him a reassuring smile and softly kissed his lips. "I love you." 

He smiled as well while some tears dropped on the mattress and he wrapped his arms around her tiny shoulders. He felt like he didn't deserve her. He's always felt like he didn't deserve anyone's love after what he did to his family. And yet here she was at his side, listening and understanding during his moment of weakness. Protecting him as much as he's been protecting her out there.

"Are you feeling a bit better?" She asked softly and John seemed to not know how to reply. Has revealing his past to her been a good idea? Definitely yes. Did it cure him? Definitely not. Sure he felt better than any other stormy night he lived alone, but he was still sick and his skin wouldn’t stop burning. And so he just tilted his head, giving her the smallest of nods.

"We should really try to sleep, especially you. Here, lay down." Ronnie's voice brought him back to reality once again while she puffed up his pillow and lifted the covers inviting him to lay down, and he noticed how tired he was. 

He nodded and tucked himself under the thin cover, keeping his chest and shoulders exposed. It was still too hot and the fabric's friction on his scars was an extra pain he couldn't stand. Veronica laid down on her side next to him, placed a hand on his chest and began talking sweetly.

"There was a boy at the convent, he was a little Half-Orc with grey skin and two lil horns poking out like Jim's. And he was terrified of thunders. Not like you, I mean, his was just a kid's irrational fear, but still…" 

The storm kept roaring and hitting their windows, but John tried to focus only on Veronica and her voice instead of his body's reaction for each thunder.

"So one night, during a storm, I tried to stay with him and tell him a story, that way he would've been distracted from the storm. Since then he always asked me to tell him a story during nights like that. A year and a half after, when he got adopted, he thanked me and said that now every storm had my voice in his head and he wasn't scared anymore." She smiled at him and one of her hands began glowing softly against his chest.

"I don't know if it can work with you, but allow me to try. I'll stay here and talk and you try to sleep, ok?" 

John smiled and whispered an almost inaudible "thank you" while a relaxing feeling spreaded across his chest and filled his lungs and his heart until it reached even his head. Ronnie's spell was working this time, she knew how to channel it to soothe his pain and calm the storm that was going on in his mind. Both knew this wasn't the ultimate cure for his problem and it needed care and time, but it was a new start. 

John rolled on his side and took Ronnie closer against his chest while she kept her spell alive and talked again.

She kept telling old stories and legends she knew, most of them were children's goodnight stories but they were enough for him. Just her voice was enough for him, soft and soothing like his mother’s when he was a little boy.

Without even noticing, John's mind drifted away and he fell asleep during a storm for the first time in ten years.

\---*---

Even with that incredibly soft pillow, or maybe  _ because of _ that incredibly soft pillow, Brian struggled to fall asleep. 

The storm was very alive outside with its orchestra of sounds and Brian carefully listened to it from the beginning. He glanced at the other beds and saw Roger thrown on his mattress with his belly up and his limbs spread wide. He wasn't snoring but he was clearly sound asleep. The snoring one was Jim, sleeping with a hand on his bare belly and the other arm around Frederick, who was sleeping on his chest as if that was a pillow, ignoring the hotel’s softer one.

The Elf smiled at how peacefully his companions were sleeping in contrast with the raging storm outside and wondered if John and Veronica had managed to rest as well.

His limbs began to feel too stiff and he had the urge to get out the room. The pouring rain and that over-comfy bed made him want to go for a walk instead of being swallowed by the mattress and by his own thoughts. They had just started to hammer the back of his head, bringing out memories he wanted to bury. 

Some of his father’s annoying sermons, but mostly about Chrissie.

She would've loved this comfy bed and being safe inside a hotel. She would've scoffed at him because he wanted to fill his lungs with the rainy air instead. He could hear her voice warning him that he was risking getting a cold,  _ 'Come home and have some cuddles in front of the fireplace!' _ . 

Brian stood up and silently took the room's key and went out in the corridor. He walked and walked and walked in the dark labyrinth that was sometimes lit up by a flash from outside. Every now and then he opened a corridor window, inhaled some fresh air and allowed some angry raindrops to hit his face before closing the window again and reprising his walk. 

From a room he heard a baby crying and their mother singing a lullaby to soothe them. 

He imagined Chrissie's voice doing the same. She had a lovely voice and every time they sang together his heart fluttered. 

His mind told him he's been selfish, greedy, despicable for telling her those thousands 'no', and now he was almost longing for something he refused to have. 

They were childhood friends before falling in love with each other, they grew up together and she loved him deeply, he loved her so much as well… but what she wanted from him wasn't what he wanted from her. And it became an immovable mountain between them, a mountain of the size of a baby.

Brian sighed, asking his brain to shut the fuck up, when he recognised a voice from another room. 

It was Ronnie's and she was talking softly, almost whispering. 

Usually he wasn't a meddler, but his curiosity won this time and he peeked in the keyhole. The room was dark, but he could see two figures in the bed and a warm light between them. Of course they were John and Veronica and he understood that he was looking at John's back, even if it was just a dark silhouette while Veronica was on the other side. He recognised the light as a healing spell and he felt relieved that they seemed rather quiet. Ronnie was talking about the Fairy Feller, a bedtime story for children, and Brian smiled softly while sliding down and sitting on the carpet, his head leaned on the door. 

He stood there listening to Ronnie's voice for a while and letting it replace his loud thoughts and then walked back to his room, where he managed to finally get some rest. 

\---*---

John opened his eyes and saw a grey morning light peeking from the curtains. Outside and inside the hotel silence was reigning except for some raindrops dripping from the roofs, while humidity and that peculiar scent of rain were filling the room. Petrichor, they call it. 

His eyes drifted aside: Ronnie was sound asleep next to him, her arms cradled against her chest and her legs somehow intertwined with his. The human slid an arm under her side and held her tighter against him, nuzzling his nose in her hair and brushing a sleepy kiss against her forehead before dozing off once again.

A bird's chirping woke Veronica up a few hours later. She opened her eyes and found John snoring quite loudly next to her while apparently he decided to hug her like a pillow as they slept. A silent chuckle escaped her throat, he was always the one who used to wake up before her and she's never seen him snoring like this yet. She lingered in his arms for a while, treasuring that moment of peace. 

She admired his scars in the morning light and noticed how more visible they were than the first time she saw them, those marbled signs right under his skin made him look like broken porcelain. His temperature was still high, but not as much as during the night and Ronnie felt relieved. 

After a while her stomach growled and she heard a soft knock on the door followed by Brian's kind voice. Trying to not wake John up she slipped away from his embrace and slowly opened up the door enough to greet the Elf but not show him John's scarred figure.

"'Morning! Is everything all right?" He asked with his usual soft tone.

"Yes, I'll join you for breakfast in a minute." She smiled, running a hand on her nightgown. 

"John?" He questioned.

Ronnie glanced at the bed that was out of Brian's sight. "He's still sleeping. I wouldn't wake him up now, he's very tired…" 

"That's ok, we'll wait for you in the dining room." He made a little bow with his head and walked away. 

Caring to be as quiet as possible, Ronnie rinsed herself with the room's fresh water and dressed up, ready for breakfast. Before going she left a small note on her pillow next to John, gave a quick kiss on his head and went out. 

"Good morning princess!" Frederick chimed with a huge smile as she got in the dining room. 

"Morning guys! Did you sleep well?" She asked while taking a seat and all of them nodded cheerfully except Brian, who just gave a small nod. 

"And John?" Jim questioned, his eyes a bit worried. 

"He's ok, still sleeping though but seems better than yesterday."

"You're not going to tell us anything, aren't you?" Fred asked quietly and the Half-Elf shook her head with a shy smile.

"No. But don't worry, we didn't do anything  _ sinful _ if that's your worry." She raised an eyebrow and filled a slice of bread with marmalade while the boys chuckled. Her passionate kiss with John had been interrupted at the right time, and it wasn’t any of their business anyway.

"Jokes aside, it's true that he gets very sick during storms like this, he's been deeply traumatised as a kid and honestly… I can't imagine how it's been to live with it all alone until now…" She murmured and her friends shared a worried look.

"Damn, poor Deaky…" Freddie winced.

"But he's got you now!" Jim gave Ronnie’s shoulder a reassuring squeeze and a radiant smile shone under his moustache.

"And he's got all of us, even if he doesn't trust us enough yet we're here." Roger proudly pointed his thumb on his chest.

"Thank you, guys." She smiled, blushing vividly.

They went on sharing their night experience, all satisfied by the comfort of their beds, but Brian stayed silent about his nighttime wanderings. 

“Excuse me, my guests.” Joe Fanelli walked to their table and gave them a little bow. “I’m sorry to interrupt your conversation, but I have to give you some news.”   
“What’s the matter, Joe?” Freddie asked with a worried look, nervously waving his tail.

“A couple of trees fell on the road last night because of the storm. Some people are already working on removing them, but probably the road won’t be free until the evening.”

The travellers exchanged a look.

“Is the Druid Market open?” Brian asked and Joe nodded. 

“Yes, it hasn’t been damaged by the storm. You can take a look at it."

" Guys…” the Elf collected his mates’ attention. “I suggest staying here for today and sleep another night. I’d love to visit the Druid market, Jim has to find another cart and I’m sure John wouldn’t mind some extra rest. We can always take a hot bath at the thermal pools, how does it sound?” He grinned and most of them nodded in agreement.

“Are we ok with the schedule?” Veronica asked, worried about her mission, but Roger reassured her there was no problem, using Jim’s horse and wagon recently had caught up all the time they lost. 

And so they decided to take a day of rest in Egwals, everyone by himself. As Brian predicted, John was more than relieved about it and thanked Ronnie for the good news when she got back into their room. He was feeling much better but still exhausted, and they planned to stay together in the hotel and find a private spot in the hot pools for John to relax without being seen, while the rest of the group went out for a shopping spree and Frederick escaped with Jim for a romantic walk among the Elven buildings.

\---*---

Roger was walking in the shopping district of the town, Brian was at the market but he was looking for a blacksmith who could fix some bumps in his armor and maybe polish it a bit, when he felt someone grabbing his arm violently. He turned and his hand instinctively went to draw his sword, but he desisted when he saw the man in front of him. He was a Dwarf like him but much older, kneeled on the ground and pleading for his help. Behind him it stood a female Halfling with raven black hair, her eyes filled with despair. They had simple clothes with some decorations typical of Egwals' whereabouts and both seemed like they didn't sleep in days.

“You’re a knight, a paladin, please help us!” The man bowed and prayed and Roger lent him a hand to stand up. 

“What happened, what can I do?” 

“Our daughter, our daughter!” He cried and the woman behind him repeated the same words, shaking her head.

“Our daughter has been kidnapped, we don’t have all the money they ask us, they’ll kill her and no one wants to help us! Can you help? Can you save her? Please!”

Roger gasped and took a moment to think. They were so desperate and of course he wanted to help, but he would’ve needed his whole group of friends… and he was already on a mission, a  _ paid _ one. A task like this was very risky.

“Mister, I’d love to help… but first I have to ask the rest of my team, we’re already engaged in a mission...”

“Oh may the gods bless you, son!” The Dwarf held his hands and bowed at him once again. “I hope they’ll say yes!”

“I hope that too, sir.” The paladin gave him a sad smile, hoping to not have to crash his dreams later. “Can we meet tonight after dinner at the Fanelli hotel? We’ll give you our response.”

“Oh sure!” The man nodded vigorously and his wife wiped some tears away with a napkin.

“May I ask your name, sir? Mine’s sir Roger Meddows Taylor.” 

“You can call me mr. Beyrand. Bless you, my paladin, bless you!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Guess our travellers are going into a side quest, huh? ;)  
> I really hope you've liked this chapter as much as I did! Please don't be afraid of leaving kudos and comments, I'd love to know your thoughts!  
> Last but not least, I'll be slowing down a bit with my writing, giving you a longer chapter once a month with maybe some smaller fics in between, because I'm very busy with school and I don't want to hurry my writings as well. I mean, my rythm was already around a chapter per month so it won't change too much, I'll keep you updated anyway on my socials and feel free to talk about this AU with me! Thanks for your immense support, you're awesome!


	11. There's a heartbeat pulse that keeps on pumping

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After the terrible stormy night John and Veronica deserve to relax a bit, and all their friends as well. But seems like a new adventure is on sight: Roger has found a couple that need their help to rescue their daughter! For sure he doesn't expect what this mission will bring in his life. Ready for some fluff and action?  
> Thanks for your amazing feedbacks on the last chapter and for your patience while waiting for this new one! I really hope you'll like it!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Before reading: This chapter features a whole fighting scene where I rolled lots of dices and then tried to put a sense in the results I had. If you're not familiar with DnD, there's a huuuge dose of randomness and luck involved in the fights which usually makes everything more interesting, but also less reasonable. The fights also work in turns, which means a character attack in (a casual) order and has to wait for the next turn to attack again.  
> I care about warning you about this before reading because I can understand it may feel different than a usual, well-planned fight scene, and as much as I tried to give everything an order I still wanted it to have that feeling of witnessing/living a DnD session. Which is weird but also very funny!  
> I hope it's not too confused, it's not been easy to write it and I'd love to know your opinions specially about that scene! As always, infos about the enemies and some other stuff at the end of the chapter.

John lowered himself in the warm pool, down until he felt his chin dipped in the water, and let out a relaxed huff. 

There were a total of four people in the hotel's hot springs excluding John and Veronica: a couple probably on honeymoon and a pair of elder men, all there just to relax, but John had asked for even more privacy and Mr. Fanelli kindly offered them a small private area in the pool hidden behind an elegant partition. 

The wizard closed his eyes and leaned on the pool's wall, feeling the water's warmth tickling the sensitive skin of his scars. The sensation was so similar to Ronnie's healing spell and he loved it. 

"Do you like it?" He opened his eyes and saw Veronica sitting on the poolside next to him with her legs hanging in the water, swaying slowly back and forth. 

John nodded and gave her a content smile before closing his eyes again. 

Ronnie was immensely glad to see him so happy after so long and especially after last night, she could almost imagine him purring as a satisfied cat after a good dose of cuddles and food, and a smile rose on her cheeks. She used to think of him as  _ handsome _ , now he was incredibly  _ cute _ and she treasured that new side of him.

While he kept his eyes closed she leaned forward to dive in the water, its warmth spreading through her carefully covered chest -with John's bandages as she did in the river-, and collected some bravery to leave a soft peck on his lips. 

This was the blessing of their private pool: no prying eyes looking at John's scars nor at their shy tentatives of showing each other more affection than permitted. 

John let out a silent chuckle and opened a single eye to see her nuzzling next to him and lean her head on his shoulder. It was something so intimate and relaxing, almost like those days in the library when they had only each other's company but still a huge amount of doubts dividing them. Now they had overcome it and they both felt lighter, floating in the warm water. 

"I guess we both needed this, right?" He asked, winding an arm around her shoulders. 

"Totally…" she cooed. 

One of her hands delicately brushed his chest, feeling the almost imperceptible texture of his scars. 

"Do they hurt?"

"No, no… actually I feel much better. Not sure if it's the thermal water directly on my skin or your cures from last night, either way I haven't felt this good in ages." John replied leaning his head on Ronnie's. 

"John?" She called him quietly and he replied with a "hmm?" without moving.

"How long have you been travelling?"  Her question was a bit random, the result of a travel made by her mind in the matter of seconds, but he knew she had some new questions after he told her his story.

"My mom kicked me out of home two years after the accident. I was fully recovered and she told me I was…  _ ready to go _ . You know, as if I were actually ready. I wasn't, but I went anyway."

Ronnie felt his body getting a bit tense while replying and she felt guilty for her curiosity, but she knew this could've been their last occasion to talk without getting interrupted or heard, at least for a while.

"If you were a girl you would've been sent to a convent." She tried to break the tension a bit and John scoffed with a smile.

"Yeah, I know." He adjusted himself a bit, stretching his arms out. "Still better than being left alone after you killed your father and ruined your family." He replied dryly trying to make it sound sarcastic and Veronica gasped.

"Stop, it wasn't your fault!" She nudged his shoulder very softly and he replied with a sad smile.

"I'm so glad I've found you, Ronnie. Until then it's been like living as a shell, only studying magic and science and… nothing else. Moving from a place to another, never bonding with anyone… I thought no one would've ever loved me, nor that I would've loved anyone anymore." He stared into her eyes and ran his hand along Ronnie's arm, that uneasy stinging in his heart while he talked about his feelings always present.

"I know how it feels..." Ronnie whispered and he looked down at her.

"But at least you weren't alone at the convent…"

"I was just one of the many." She shrugged. "The Mother always told me I was one of the most devoted and talented clerics in there, but aside from that I was just a number like anyone else. My peers were always busy like me, we played that question game before bed to know each other simply because we never had time to really bond and we were too tired to stay up all night talking."

"And the kids? You seemed such a good teacher with them."

A melancholic smile appeared on her lips as she thought at the kids she took care of.

"I loved each of them, oh John, I loved them so much, but I learned to not get too attached. Most of them got adopted, transferred to other convents, began working, some died of various illnesses. They came in and went out as the seasons." 

She sniffed, trying to wipe away the tears that were poking her eyes and instinctively John turned around to hold her tightly, leaning her head on his chest.

"Have you ever… thought of looking for your parents?" John blurted out and Ronnie took a moment to reply. She never really felt the desire of knowing how their parents looked, being aware of how she was born was enough to give up on that.

"Not really… I've always relied on my God's love, he's like a father and a guide to me. But I can't deny sometimes I would've liked a hug from, you know, someone real to call family." Her arms slid up John's back and hugged him tighter as she nuzzled her nose against his chest. 

"I'm here…" he replied and gave a kiss on her head, feeling her cheeks rising with a smile.

They lingered in the hug for a while, just feeling their loneliness dissolve and fuse with the thermal water and their heartbeats next to each other, making up for all the hugs they both have been missing for so long. 

When they parted, Ronnie placed her head against his shoulder once again, as if it was the perfect spot made just for her, and both rested against the pool's wall. 

"Seems like we're competing for who had it worse." John chuckled and Ronnie joined his laugh that reverberated in the pool. 

"I mean, I think you win, but yeah… I wonder if the others had had such bad experiences." She whispered, leaving the question suspended in the air. 

The silence that followed was light and warm as the layer of steam above the water and even while talking about feelings and hard childhoods John didn’t feel pressured as he had expected him to be, instead it was almost casual and relaxed. He brushed his cheek on Veronica’s hair, holding her close. 

"You know, I feel a lot less lonely now. And I'm so happy to be with you, Ronnie. You're the best friend I've ever had, I love you." 

She heard his heart thumping faster in his chest as he said those words and a fuzzy feeling grew inside of her.

"I love you too, John." 

\---*---

The rest of the day passed in a blink. John and Ronnie stayed in the pool for a few more hours and then decided to walk around the hotel and see its small garden decorated with Elven fountains, while John kept his robe on but without bandages underneath, closing it up to the base of his neck. He was still hiding his scars, but without that extra layer his skin was breathing better and he covered himself again only for dinner time.

When the whole group reunited in the evening the Human was more than happy to see his friends after a whole day of hiding and he greeted them with a shy smile.

"Looking fresh, Deaky!" Freddie patted his back as he sat next to him.

"Bet you had a nice day with miss Veronica!" Roger chimed and both John and Ronnie's cheeks flushed. They never went further than hugs and some kisses, but it was still something that they weren't used to talking about. It was a secret, after all.

"Well, yeah, we took a relaxing day… The hotel has a pretty garden and a very nice library. We needed some rest."

"And you? Did you find anything interesting?" Ronnie asked everyone but mostly Brian, who spent the whole day at the market.

"Yes, the market was full of very interesting stuff! I bought an astronomical book, some herbs and potions, plus some supplies for the trip." 

Brian took out a blue book from his bag, it was rather small but had lots of pages and Brian explained it was full of dates and coordinates to find and read the stars.

As they ate the conversation shifted to Frederick and Jim, who had been by themselves too.

"Oh, Jim and I just walked around like tourist lovebirds and since it was our last day together we bought each other a lil present!" Frederick giggled and showed the group a precious necklace with a small cat pendant, and Jim did the same with an identical one at his neck. 

"Wait, what do you mean with 'our last day together'?!" Roger questioned and Ronnie let out a gasp, fearing the worst.

"No worries, we're not leaving each other, Freddie has been over-dramatic. I've got to take another road tomorrow, I've been offered a job to restore a villa's damaged garden so I can pay for a new wagon but it's in another town. We'll just part ways for a little." Jim explained and gave Ronnie a sad smile since she's been so friendly with him from the beginning and they grew pretty fond of each other. 

"It's ok, miss Veronica, don't worry. I'll send a hawk to Freddie every now and then to say hi and hopefully we'll meet soon again, I'll do my best to reach Nolfast as soon as I can." 

She nodded, trying to hide her sadness and a bit of disappointment. 

"Damn, I was about to tell y'all about my news!" Roger groaned loudly and took a sip of his beer, catching everyone's attention.

"What, did you find a blacksmith to fix your armor?" Brian questioned, a bit sarcastic since Roger showed everyone his polished armor as soon as he stepped in the hotel and it was already common knowledge.

"Yeah, aside that. I met a couple who asked for my help, their daughter has been kidnapped and no one's helping them as they're not that wealthy to give a rich payment. I told them 'gotta ask my team first', guess we'll be missing a couple of arms…" 

"Wait, did you accept a mission?!" Brian raised his voice. 

"Not yet, but… they seemed so desperate, I'd love to help… but I can't go alone." the Dwarf scratched his head, trying to excuse himself.

"We can't put Veronica's life on risk!" Brian shot back and Ronnie interrupted him, raising her voice as well.

"But I can help you! What if you get injured and need healing?"

"I know healing spells…" the Elf gave her a gelid stare but Ronnie gritted her teeth without a flinch.

"You can't use them if you're fighting in animal form. And you, sir Taylor… you better use your spells to attack." 

Roger nodded, her point was perfectly valid and he was about to say the same. Next to John, Frederick nodded and was quite amused by the girl's bravery.

“Our cleric here is right, druid.” He chuckled, but Brian was immovable and kept shaking his curly hair.

"I can cover her." John suggested quietly and everyone turned to look at him.  "Guys, we're five and we have already fought together, I think we're quite a good team and we can look at each other's back. I'll stay closer to Veronica, I'm fine now and I can do it." 

Silence dawned on them before Brian finally groaned a surrendering "fine", running a hand on his face. 

"Sooo… Who kidnapped that bird?" The Tiefling asked, leaning towards Roger.

"Sir Beyrand told me they're a bunch of goblins." 

Freddie rolled his eyes. 

"Ugh, I hate those."

\---*---

After dinner Roger met with sir Beyrand as promised, telling him they had accepted the mission and they’d leave the morning after. Meanwhile Frederick made a new arrangement with Joe Fanelli for another couple of nights at the hotel and asked to keep their belongings safe while they were out on the mission. 

He then spent the rest of the evening in the thermal pool with Jim, relaxing some more before the next morning’s farewell.

Brian prepared his spells and checked his brand new potions, in case any of them needed a quick restore. Out of all of them, he was surely the most nervous and less enthusiastic about the mission, he was worried for himself but mostly for Veronica, as he began overthinking in his room.

"Are you sure you want to come?" John questioned one last time while lying on the bed, getting ready to sleep. Ronnie ruffled up her hair, sat on the bed next to him and gave him a toothy grin.

"Yes. I'll be careful, not like that time in the fire. I promise I won't put myself in danger."

Inadvertently, John’s eyes fell on the small bag she prepared for the mission and noticed she also put her ancient documents in it, probably fearing separation from them.

"I'd leave your precious documents here at the hotel with the rest of our stuff…" He murmured firmly.

A sense of dread insinuated in her guts as she realised he had noticed them in her bag and… that he was right, it was the best to protect them. Those old parchments were her passport to finally have a chance of leaving the convent life, those documents in exchange for her freedom. Leaving the hotel without them was incredibly difficult, that’s why he had put them in her bag, and a bunch of questions and worries started whirling in her head until the grip of John's hand on her arm brought her back on Earth.

"Ronnie? They'll be safe here, Frederick said mr. Fanelli is trustworthy. You don't have to worry, we'll be back soon."

"Yes, sorry…" 

"It's ok, I know they're important for you. But you can leave them for a day..."

The cleric gave him a little nod and slipped under the bedsheets next to him, curling up against his chest. They needed to rest as much as possible to be ready for the mission, even if Ronnie struggled to contain her excitement. Sure she was worried and unprepared, but it was her first mission as the hero and not as the escorted one and she mentally scrolled through all her spells and prayed to her god for his blessing.

Before falling asleep, John softly ran a hand through her hair and brushed his lips with hers, kissing her goodnight. 

\---*---

The hill where the goblins had built their tunnels and homes wasn't far from Edgwals and the group soon arrived at their destination. They hid in a small wood close to the entrance of the tunnel, planning out what to do next.

"Ok, the Goblins are in here, usually they live in groups, individually they're quite weak but get their advantage by attacking in groups. Sir. Beyrand told me they kidnapped his daughter Dominique and asked for a shit ton of money in exchange, not even a dragon would ever have them." Roger explained.

"Seems like they want to keep her instead." John pointed out and Frederick nodded.

"Probably as a bride."

"Bride?!" Ronnie yelped.

"Goblins are pieces of shit and they like to own pretty things, a young bride is a super precious treasure to brag about." Freddie remarked and the Half-Elf girl let out a whine, half worried and half disgusted.

"Look! There's one at the entrance!" Brian whispered and Roger turned to observe the goblin that was getting in the tunnel holding a bag of what seemed apples.

"What do you want, to ask him 'hey we're friends with the girl, can we join the wedding?'" The warlock chuckled, giving a faint imitation of Roger's voice.

"Nah, gonna kill him." He stuck his tongue out. 

"Wait, are w-we killing them all?" Veronica whisper-yelled at Roger. She expected to fight and escape with the girl, not to make a slaughter.

"Imagine them as annoying blowflies that steal and kidnap innocent people. That's what goblins are." The paladin patted her shoulder and she felt a chill running down her spine. 

"Don't worry, their blood looks like jelly. Let us do the dirty job." Frederick tried to sound reassuring, not really succeeding. 

"Ready? Let's go!" Roger suddenly drew his swords and rushed out of the bushes, soon followed by his companions. They sat around the entrance trying not to be seen, peeking inside. 

"The cave is enlightened by a few torches and… I see three goblins inside." Brian explained quietly.

"Only three?! Any weapons?" Roger asked and Brian nodded.

"Tiny, though." 

"Great." Roger adjusted his lion shaped helmet on his head and ran inside the cave, immediately followed by an overly enthusiastic Frederick. 

The goblin closer to the entrance let out a startled yell and while his small scimitar managed to deviate one of Roger's longswords he wasn't to stop the second one, that slashed him in half.

Right beside Roger, Frederick casted a double Eldritch Blast against the two guards in the middle of the grotto. One of them got hit on his chest by the magic spear and fell backwards, still alive but severely injured, the other was quick enough to dodge it, rolling aside.

Meanwhile John, Veronica and Brian sneaked inside of the tunnel, staying at the entrance behind the paladin and the warlock.

Seeing that one of the goblins had dodged Freddie's blast and was ready to attack Roger with his scimitar, Veronica conjured a Sacred Flame from behind the line and a flaming radiance enveloped the goblin. He managed to shake it off, but it had effect anyway and he crouched on the ground, coughing smoke. 

Ronnie was relieved she didn't actually kill him, even if she knew his life was basically already over. She looked at John who was staring at her surprised and proud with a wide grin on his face.

The goblin that has been hit by Freddie's blast, unable to stand up, rolled on his side and shot an arrow with his small crossbow against the Tiefling, grazing his side and tearing apart his corset. 

"Ah, fuck! You little shit!" He bent in pain and pressed his hand on the wound. 

"Freddie!" Brian cursed and collected some bravery, casting a Ray of Frost against the goblin and freezing his head to death.

None of them saw a fourth goblin appearing from the shadows of the tunnel with two scimitars and running towards Freddie, who could dodge only one of his attacks and got slashed again, this time earning a deep cut on his leg. 

It seemed that the goblins were targeting the Tiefling spellcaster as the most dangerous one and John noticed that the one burned by Veronica was trying to attack Freddie again as well, hoping for an advantage. 

"I don't think so." John whispered and dashed next to Freddie, grabbing the other goblin with his hands and electrocuting him with a Shocking Grasp. Three goblins were gone, the grotto was empty except for the last goblin with two scimitars and…

All of a sudden a click came from the opposite side of the cave, where another tunnel started, and John felt a piercing pain on his shoulder.

"AAAGH!" He cried and Veronica ran between him and Freddie, hoping to aid both of them.

"I can do it, help Freddie!" The wizard muttered, checking his own wound: a tiny dart stabbed his left shoulder, not too deeply but enough to weaken his whole arm. 

Meanwhile Roger eyed the crossbow-armed goblin at the end of the cave and growled. He ran forward and rotated his long blade, sending the goblin's head in the air. And another one was gone.

At the same time Freddie targeted the goblin with the two scimitars and with a gesture of his hand made him explode with an Eldritch Blast, avenging his leg. 

He was right, Veronica thought, goblins' blood was like jelly… she shivered looking at the green slime on the ground before pressing her hands on Frederick's wounds and healing them completely. 

"Wow that was… fast." The Tiefling lifted his eyebrows in surprise and thanked her. 

All of a sudden they heard a woman screaming from the end of the tunnel.

"Keep your filthy hands off me!!!" She yelled in a dwarvish accent, her voice more angry than scared. 

"We have to go!" Roger nodded at his companions and headed first into the tunnel, while behind him Veronica healed John's wound enough to make it stop bleeding and hurting. 

"I'd need more time to heal this completely, sorry…" she apologised in a whisper and John nodded with a smile.

"It's ok, I can move my arm now and that's enough. Keep your magic for more urgent needs."

At the end of the tunnel there was a bigger room with an opulent carpet on the floor and big torches on the walls. A sort of apse was carved at the end of the room, with a stone altar and a mountain of money and treasures behind it, typical of goblins. Speaking of which, there were five goblins in the room, fewer than what they expected to find, plus a big and weird looking goblin chained next to the apse that Brian recognised as a Gruul goblin. On the altar there was the goblins' chief, slightly bigger than the others, dressed with a huge fur coat and wearing a ton of jewels, probably ready for a wedding. 

And next to him there she was: the bride. 

Dominique was a Dwarfette, a bit smaller than a regular Dwarf since her mother was a Halfling, her raven hair sharply cut at her shoulders and perfectly framing her face.

Roger felt his heart swirl as his eyes met hers: they were big, dark and filled with a strange determination. She didn't seem to be the scared kidnapped girl they were expecting to find and the fur coat the goblin gave her made her look like a caged lynx. 

As Roger was glued on miss. Beyrand's figure, the goblin chief let out a screeching growl and yelled in a grotesque common language.

"Where are the others with the banquet?! Intruders, intruders, kill them!!!" 

The five guards raised their tiny weapons and Roger jumped in the middle of the room among them slashing the air with his blades, moved by a renewed energy that was now flowing through his veins. One of the goblins managed to avoid his sword by a matter of millimeters while the other lost an arm, the tentative use of using his crossbow as a shield was completely vain.

Freddie remained close to the entrance and shot a Witch Bolt against one of the two goblins closer to him, that exploded in a puddle of green jelly like the one a few moments ago. 

The goblin at his left let out a screech and ran towards John and Veronica aiming to hit the wizard, but Ronnie stopped him first and conjured another Sacred Flame, this time stronger than before, that reduced the small monster to a pile of ashes.

She let out a distressed whine, but the heat of the moment was preventing her from controlling her powers as she wanted to. 

“Thanks Ronnie!” John gave her a thumbs up and she felt a little relieved. “I should be the one to protect you, but seems like the roles got reversed.” He chuckled and hid with her in the tunnel, whispering he had a plan for his next move.

“Ok, my turn…” At their side Brian exhaled sharply. It’s been a while since he turned into an animal, and he was quite nervous. He closed his eyes and his body began to glow and change shape until he became a huge black wolf and ran next to Roger, catching one of the goblins with his fangs and snapping his mouth closed. Quite disgusted by the taste and not really amused by his instant kill, Brian let the dead goblin plop on the floor like a puppet and growled.

Carefully hidden in the tunnel, John pointed his fingers to the center of the room, focusing on his targets: the two goblins next to Roger and the big one still chained at the end of the chamber, that was drooling and jumping on the spot, eagerly waiting to be set free and join the battle.

The wizard casted Magic Missile and three spears of green energy shot all three of his targets, killing only the goblin who already lost his arm but damaging the other two as well.

The goblin chief’s face was red of anger as he’s been observing his sidekicks being slaughtered in the room and the rest of the clan was late for what was supposed to be his wedding, so he cursed in his grotesque goblin language and opened the chains that were holding the Gruul goblin, hoping for him to finish the job.

“Ha! You’re just a bunch of little shits!” Dominique’s mocking voice filled the room and the chief turned his head to her, raised his hand and violently slapped her face, making the Dwarfette fall on her knees.  


Roger felt his anger quickly rising but he made a mistake distracting himself from the last goblin, who aimed at the joint of his armor and with a jump slashed his arm with a blade. It wasn’t a deep cut but it hurt not only Roger’s flesh but also his dignity as he allowed himself to get distracted.

The paladin shot a gelid glare directly in the small goblin’s eyes and with a single movement he cut him in half. His gaze moved onto the Gruul goblin that was running and growling at him, ready to grasp him with his monstrous hands, but Roger’s other blade began to glow and he smirked. 

“You forgot I have two swords. SMITE!” He yelled and a flash of light filled the room as his blade seized the air. The moment after the huge goblin was cut in half, dead on the ground. 

A thick silence dawned in the room and everyone’s eyes were on the goblin chief who seemed to have just lost his stronger fighter that easily and was fuming with rage.

“It’s over, goblin! Give us the girl and we’ll spare your life and the rest of your clan.” Roger spoke out loud and the goblin’s face contorted while he clutched his hand around Dominique’s arm. 

“If you try to resist… well, you’ve seen what we did, your disadvantage is abyssal.” Frederick waved his tail and walked next to Roger while showing his pointy teeth with a grin.

The goblin growled and glued his eyes on his -almost- bride, hissing in her ear.  He leaned forward and licked her cheek with his long and gooey tongue.

Dominique squirmed in his grip and turned to spit in his eyes, but the goblin dug his nails deeper in her arms until it bled and laughed. 

“She’s mine!!!” He screeched and pushed her backwards with violence, making her fall and hit her head on the stone altar. 

“No!” Roger yelled and from the other side of the room Ronnie let out a scream while the goblin picked up a javelin and threw it directly against Freddie.  The Tiefling’s reflexes were fast enough to not get hit on the chest, but the javelin still managed to pierce his shoulder. 

For him, that was a declaration of war. He didn’t even hear Roger yelling “Don’t hit her!” when he casted a Witch Bolt on the goblin and hit his chest, keeping him still with the spell’s arc of lightning. 

_ **“We said surrender, goblin, or you’re dead.”** _ Frederick’s voice got deep like the darkest cave of Hell and the goblin fell on his knees, trapped in the warlock’s spell and quickly surrendering against his threat. Noticing that the goblin was breaking down, both Roger and Brian in his wolf shape walked closer, surrounding him until the goblin lowered his head.

“The girl. Not the gold.” He croaked and spat on the ground next to Dominique’s unconscious figure. 

While Frederick kept his spell active, Roger scooped up her body and checked her pulse: she was alive but lost her senses and a stream of blood was dripping from her head and her arm. He adjusted her on Brian’s back and the whole group got out of the cave, never lowering their guard in case the goblins tried to play them dirty. 

\---*---

When Dominique opened her eyes she was laying in her bed surrounded by soft pillows and a couple of strangers. Something warm was spreading from her temple to the rest of her body, like calming waves of peace echoing in her head. 

She blinked a few times, regaining her focus.

"She's awake!" A raspy yet delicate voice gasped, coming from one of the people in the room: he was a blonde Dwarf sitting on the bed at her side.

In front of him, at her right, the second person replied.

"Don't move, you're safe now." She was a skinny Half-Elf with short copper hair healing Dom with her bare hands. 

The Dwarf gave her a worried look and Dominique felt dizzy, attracted like a magnet to his eyes as blue as the summer sky. 

_ 'He's too pretty to be a Dwarf…' _ she thought, recognising his race only from his stature and proportions, but she was quite confused nonetheless.

"We brought you home. Do you remember anything?" He asked politely, placing a hand on hers.

She tried to go back with her memory; she had already seen him… in a grotto, and he was with a group of people, a black wolf, a Tiefling... she was wearing a stinky fur coat, jewels, there was a goblin… many goblins. 

With a sore voice she managed to mutter her memories, they were a bit confused and she remembered about being pushed backwards before everything went black.

"You hit your head against the altar and lost your senses, but nothing too bad." The Half-Elf gave her a reassuring smile, removing her hands from Dominique's head. "Done. As if nothing has happened!" 

"Who… who are you?" Dom whispered, moving her gaze from the Half-Elf to the Dwarf. 

"Your father asked me to rescue you from the goblins and I came in with my group of friends." Roger replied and inflated his chest proudly. "My name is Sir Roger Meddows Taylor, Paladin of the order of Athena. She's Veronica, a Cleric. And in the other room with your parents there are Frederick, Brian and John." 

Almost as if he had summoned them, the whole group appeared at the door. The boys quickly introduced themselves and Dominique's parents covered her with hugs and kisses, relieved that she was perfectly healed and safe. Dom was a bit overwhelmed by all the attention but kept her gaze glued on Roger, silently thanking him with a smile. 

“I hope to not offend you with my question, miss Beyrand, but…"

"Please, call me just Dominique. And… go on."

"How did you get kidnapped?” After a while Roger has been left alone with her and sat again on the bed, trying to engage a casual conversation as the others were preparing the dining room and having some rest.

Dominique shrugged.

“I was harvesting some apples when two or three goblins jumped on my back and tied me up, they’ve been sneaky and I didn’t see them. We already had some problems with goblins a couple of times and my father and I always managed to kick them away. They usually stole our fruits, nothing too bad.”

“Mmh, got it. Probably the goblin chief saw you and fell in love.” He raised an eyebrow and smiled trying to ease the tension, but Dom scoffed.

“Bah, I was just a pretty object to possess. Love? Goblins don’t know what that is.” She grinned sheepishly while shaking her head and Roger felt a pang in his heart. 

Actually, it was  _ him _ who saw her and fell in love. A voice in his head was screaming at him to flirt with her as he always did easily with pretty girls, but somehow his body replied acting like a kid completely submitted to her sheer beauty and her genuine mannerism. He had no chances of charming her with his usual way of flirting, and he didn't even feel to try it.

“S-so, uhm… what do you do here?” He stammered, feeling a bit of an idiot but with the need of hearing her voice again.

“We have some orchards and my mom is a tailor, we sell our goods at Edgwals’ market. Nothing to do with druids, but you know, fruit and clothes always sell good anyway.” She gave him a faint smile, feeling her blue eyes on her. She was a simple girl living a simple life, after all, and by her side she wondered how many girls like her he met in his surely interesting adventures. Perhaps he had saved some of them from much more dangerous monsters than a dozen goblins… 

When a shade of darkness passed through her eyes, he noticed there was something on her mind and he wanted to wipe it away.

"And do you like this life? I mean, it's quiet and nice, not far from a big city…"

“Yeah, it’s ok." She locked her dark eyes with his once again, a glimpse of playfulness now shimmering in them.

"I’d love to travel somewhere though, I know many languages and studied as an interpreter, but my parents are a bit… eh, apprehensive, you know.”

“You speak  _ many _ languages?!” Roger adjusted himself closer to her with a renewed interest. It was normal for a person to know the Common language and the one of their own race, but it was rare to find someone who spoke more than three languages.

“Yes! Common, Dwarvish of course, but I also know all the standard languages and I’m learning Sylvan and Draconic!” She beamed, her whole face lighting up with excitement and Roger knew he was slipping even more for his crush. And he had no intention to climb out.

_ “Do you speak Dwarvish, right?” _ She asked in that language and he nodded, the sound of her voice in his mother tongue was like another dart in his already bleeding heart.

_ “Yes- I haven’t spoken in Dwarvish for a while, but… yeah…” _ suddenly his hand brushed on his neck in a soothing gesture he hasn't been doing for years and that Dominique found adorable. 

There wasn't a brave paladin covered with gold sitting on the bed with her, but only a young Dwarf too pretty for his race and with a pure heart. 

She kept the conversation going, always speaking in Dwarvish, and they talked a little about themselves until they got called for dinner. At that point, Roger had completely forgotten about everyone else in the house.

The Beyrands invited the group to stay for the supper, they weren't rich to give them money as a payment for their heroic gesture but they all settled down that a dinner was enough and happily ate all together, with Brian trying to stop Frederick and Roger from letting out the most gruesome details about goblin's jelly-blood and how well they exploded. 

While eating, John and Ronnie couldn't help but notice how radiant Roger looked while talking with Dominique and complimenting her for her bravery with the goblins, and how she replied beaming at his abilities with the swords, both laughing and cracking jokes every now and then as if they’ve been knowing each other for years. 

No one paid too much attention to the Human and the Half-Elf as they agreed that there was definitely chemistry between Roger and Dom and much less shyness than they had at the beginning. 

Ronnie took a sip of wine, an alien feeling insinuating in her spine as she thought at how easier it would be for them to be together, without vows and rules and death threats weighing on their heads. She was _envi_ __ou_ s _ , even though she hadn't given the feeling a name yet.

\---*---

After dinner, stuffed with Mrs. Beyrand's delicious food, the whole team said goodbye to the family and happily walked back to the Fanelli Hotel, everyone a little tipsy thanks to Mr. Beyrand's wine.

It was then that Roger heard someone yelling his name from behind him and excused himself from the group. When he turned, Dominique was running towards him with a wide grin on her face; she leaped through the field like a hare and jumped at Roger's neck, leaving him completely surprised. 

"D-dominique, what the-?!" He asked, catching her in his arms and blushing furiously as her face was a few inches from his nose, her dark eyes staring at him. 

"Once again, thank you and your friends for saving me! It was really cool, I can't lie. You're very strong, Sir Taylor, but you're a real softie under this armor and I really like that." She giggled and gave him a clever stare, making Roger's legs weak. Of all the girls he had met, she was the first one to make him feel numb from head to toes with a single look, deafening his rational thoughts.

Up above, the goddess Sune looked down at him and giggled proudly, and he knew it. 

He heard her giggle in his head, he felt that godly hand pushing between his shoulder blades and closing the distance between their faces... or perhaps it was the wine making effect? 

Roger gave Dominique a soft smile, completely opposite to the fiery frown he was used to wear on his face, and her own smile grew wider until she locked her lips with his and ran her fingers through his blonde locks. 

If Roger had been trying to stop himself from kissing her, now he completely gave up and abandoned himself in the kiss, tasting her father's wine on her lips and feeling her tiny shapes under his hands. 

When they parted he was utterly speechless and stared at her radiant grin. 

"Promise me you'll write to me, brave paladin!" She gave him a little bow and, giggling, she ran back home.

The Dwarf stood there bewildered, until he woke up from his trance and yelled at her in his own language, a wide smile shining on his face.

_ "I promise!"  _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Annnd Roger has fallen in love heheeh but now it's time to reprise the trip! Dominique is lovely and I can't wait to write again about her!  
> Thanks for reading! 
> 
> Here have some extra infos about Goblins and a couple of things our characters did in this chapter.
> 
> GOBLINS: "Goblins are small, black-hearted humanoids that lair in despoiled dungeons and other dismal settings. Individually weak, they gather in large numbers to torment other creatures." Let's say our heroes were lucky that most of the Goblins were out looking for goods for the wedding's banquet! (Also about that... it's not easy to move so many characters all together by myself, both the heroes and the enemies. Forgive me for the lack of Goblins.)
> 
> SMITE: Roger has been EXTREMELY lucky and I almost screamed when I rolled to hit the last normal goblin and the Gruul Goblin. I (he?) rolled a NATURAL 20. Which is a critical hit, and I already wanted to use Divine Smite on the Gruul one. So yeah that was an instant kill. Divine Smite is Paladins' special attack, calling their deity they can make their weapon more powerful, adding several damages to the hit. A Nat20 is a critical hit and adds even more damages.  
> Another nice roll was the nat18 Freddie got in Intimidation when he threatened the Goblin Chief. That dude sh*t his pants I tell you. 
> 
> DRUID'S WILD SHAPE: Druids can use spells to fight but they (and specially druids of the Circle of the Moon like Brian) can also shapeshift into an animal, which usually have more hit points and can tank well other than making damages. There are some animals they can transform into and of course the higher the druid's level is the more shapes he can take and more powerful they are. Dire Wolf is a pretty easy animal for a druid to transform into but it was cool and enough to fight in the Goblins' lair and to carry Dominique's unconscious body quickly out of there.
> 
> If you have other questions please feel free to ask.


	12. Rolling down the road

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The team goes back at the Hotel for their last night before reprising their trip. The mission against the Goblins to save Dominique ignited something in our heroes' hearts and while John and Veronica take benefits from the hotel's privacy, Roger deals with his feelings the whole day after. None of them expects the big challenge they're going to face next...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WARNING: in the first part of this chapter there's mention of sex. Nothing graphic, it actually talks about consent and feelings, but I still wanted to warn you.  
> That part actually took me the longest to write, I almost cut it out even if it's one of the main things I've thought about this story and it's very important so please be kind...  
> I hope you'll enjoy it anyway, please let me know in the comments!

"Ronnie-" John sighed on her lips, trying to escape from her eager kisses. He didn't expect things to escalate that quickly since they got in bed after the mission to save Dominique, but Veronica's goodnight kiss was leading to something else and both were slipping in a dangerous territory, helped also by the wine they drank at dinner. It was like a couple of nights before, during the storm, when he asked her to bury his despair and she allowed herself to love him more than she's ever done. 

Now they were demanding for more once again, the adrenaline of the fight still rushing in their bodies and the alcohol inhibiting their senses. 

"Ronnie, stop-" he breathed out again, cupping her face to stop her, and broke the spell. She stared in his eyes, barely visible in the dark room. 

"I'm… I'm sorry, I-" she stammered, coming back to a consciousness she was losing. A choked sigh came out from her lungs while she reminded herself of her vow that felt like heavy chains and her bad ending that was already burning in front of her.

A couple of burning tears rolled down her cheeks and John hugged her tightly. 

"I know what you want, Veronica…" he murmured softly in her ears, as an apology. "I wish I could do something more, but we have to be patient… I don't want to lose you, Ronnie, I'd never forgive myself for that. I can't let them hurt you." He pressed his forehead against hers and slowly her quiet sobs faded into a heavy silence.

"John… I love you, it’s not fair…" She blurted out, her mind numb and her heart heavy.

"Ronnie, not now… remember, they will hurt you, we have to wait… until you're done with your mission and out from your duties, and then we'll be together. Okay?" 

He brushed her hair that was growing a bit longer, trying to soothe her stormy heart. She leaned her head on his chest, avoiding to look in his eyes.

"I trust my God more than how much I fear my church..." She said, half a lie half a truth. 

John shook his head with pity.

"I know, but it's still not safe to do it now. I'm not doubting your trust in Ilmater but it's better to not break your vows anyway until you're tied to your church." 

Ronnie nodded on his chest, delusion swirling in her soul like black ink in the water. 

"Can we… can we keep kissing, though?" 

John let out a soft chuckle and kissed her forehead. 

"Yeah, sure."

They reprised softly, lingering on the taste of their lips, trying to erase that gloom that once again was tormenting their relationship. And once again, it was never enough. 

The privacy and comfort of their hotel’s room was the perfect source for more intimacy, a reminder that they wouldn’t be so lucky to have another occasion like this to be together before the end of Ronnie’s mission.

John knew they had to set some boundaries before letting themselves go and fall into sin without noticing, but his mind suggested to him that a small step further was possible.

"Veronica?" John broke the kiss. 

Before asking her to make that small step he needed to let something else out of his chest,something that has been chasing him for a while. He blushed in the darkness and held Ronnie's hands tightly while she stared at him expecting another scolding for her eagerness.

"I was thinking… I thought we could take a small step further, if you’re into it, just to know each other a bit more. Make love but without fully consuming the act as your church means… but first I had to leave something in my past, something that I regret and I couldn’t hide to you."

Ronnie stared at him a bit dumbfounded, not fully understanding what he meant.

He ran a hand on his face and focused to find the right words and let out a sigh realizing he should say the whole story and be honest with her, knowing that telling Ronnie about this was going to hurt her feelings for sure. 

"Years ago while travelling I found shelter in a brothel, it was the only place I could find to sleep. I wasn't interested in a prostitute or whatever, but to have a room I had to spend the night with one of them." He swallowed loudly. 

She tensed on the spot not expecting to hear this at all, but she collected all her patience and waited for him to go on.

"She was… she was a nice lady and took me in sympathy, didn't even ask me to take my bandages off -and I didn't- and actually asked me if I wanted to do anything or not. Well, I was young and I must admit I was curious, not much to brag about it or, you know, for the rush of ‘growing up’, but I said why not…” 

“Why are you telling me this?” She interrupted him and he couldn’t tell if she was angry or sad about it, which scared him quite a bit. Being fair, she was more confused than anything.

“I..” John let out a deep, shaky sigh. “I don’t know, I wanted to be honest with you before… before making love to you, before even touching you. I’ve never had any other experience after that, but I really had to let you know before doing anything else than kissing."

Ronnie stared at his trembling hands, her mind processing the mix of feelings that were growing in her guts. 

"S-so you're not a… a virgin?" She murmured, barely audible, and John let out a heartbroken sigh.

"Sadly not. But I've never made _love_ with anyone, I kinda wasted my first time actually just to have a bed where to sleep." He let out a nervous laugh, not feeling really proud of that adventure and knowing this hurt Veronica. 

He felt guilt stinging in his heart as he saw confusion and emptiness in her eyes, for the first time she didn’t know what to say and he lowered his tearful gaze on his shaky hands.

“I’m sorry, Veronica, really. If I knew then I would’ve fallen in love with you I wouldn’t have wasted my first time like that. You’ve changed everything, you’re making my life better, you made me find love when I thought there wasn’t any... “

“John… it’s ok. I understand.” She gave him the smallest of smiles but it was enough to lift the weight on his chest. The knot in her throat was tight, but it wasn't her nature to hold someone accountable for past actions that weren't planned and mistakes that were regretted.

“I… I wish I were your first time like you will be for me, but I can’t get mad at something you made so innocently, before even knowing me.” She had forgiven her mother for having abandoned her at birth, she could forgive John for simply having been a curious lad trying to find his way in the world. And she knew how much he truly loved her and meant every word he said, she couldn’t make him feel guilty for something that wasn’t a fault in the first place.

It hit John like a ray of sunshine, that stone in his chest dissolved at her words and he held her closer, suddenly hugging her tight.

He murmured a waterfall of “thank you”s in her hair and she melted in his hug.

"So… you were telling me about… knowing each other more?" Her curious gaze brought him back to the point he was trying to reach and he blushed. 

“Well, as I said I thought we can take a small step further than kissing, and I’d really love to love you some more than this, but we have to agree on where to stop while also enjoying it…” He moved some hair behind his ear feeling a bit uncomfortable, but it was necessary for both of them.

By her side, Ronnie has been knowing only one way to have sex, that was exactly what her vow of chastity meant to avoid, and anything else about pleasure and love was obscure to her. As much as she felt a little hurt that she wasn't the first woman John had touched, he tingled her interest anyway and if there was an occasion to bond more than now she was open to try it. 

"I haven't asked you before because I didn't… you know, I thought it would've made you uncomfortable, maybe you didn’t want to, and… uh…" he began to stammer, not really knowing how to articulate his words, and Ronnie smiled.

"Honestly I… I have no idea of what you mean. I don't know anything about love and… sex, aside of…" she made a gesture with her fingers, getting flustered and feeling the wine's effect on her cheeks. John let out a small chuckle and hugged her tightly, leaving a quick peck on her lips. 

"It's just a bit more intimate cuddles and kisses, and we'll stop at that. Ok? I promise I won't do anything that your superiors would _disapprove of_. And always tell me if you're uncomfortable. All I want is to make you happy and feel loved." He gave her an encouraging smile, a bit of confidence rising again within himself.

"How do I…?"

"Nothing, just let yourself go as you were doing earlier, I'll take care of you."

Slowly Veronica abandoned herself to John's kisses that slowly moved from her lips to her neck, his hands peeling off their night clothes and running on her skin letting her discover her own shapes, his lips ignited new sensations at every kiss and soon she forgot about anything else. John's touch was delicate and loving despite his big hands, he handled her like a precious porcelain, memorising every inch of her body and listening to every response she gave to his movements, shivering every time she moved her hands on his skin. 

He tried to push his nervousness away, that fear of doing something wrong was always there in his mind telling him to be careful, to not break her trust and surrender to his own desires. But everything came naturally with small steps, he made her feel loved as much as he could, and he knew by her soft whispers and her hands tucked on his long hair that his caresses and his kisses were _enough_ for her and for both. He had dreamed of this so many times, she had been wondering how it was to feel his skin against hers, and feeling it for real was so fulfilling they were touching the sky. 

She kissed him back every time she could, on his lips, on his scars, on his sharp cheekbones, her tiny hands kneading all over his back and his arms to feel him real, physical exactly like her. 

Finally lifted from that weight, John slowly forgot that night at the brothel and replaced those memories with Ronnie’s body and her voice. This time John could sense all the love between the two of them and it was exactly like a first time, something deeper and more intimate and it was just the beginning.

They weren't a wizard and a cleric anymore, they weren't even a Human and a Half-Elf anymore, they were just John and Veronica. 

"Are you okay?" John asked quietly after a moment of silence, holding her close to his heart. Ronnie seemed to glow in the room, her heart still beating fast and the butterflies in her belly were swirling and making her feel light, lighter than she's ever been.

She nuzzled her nose in the crook of his neck and whispered a tiny "yes". 

They lingered in the hug for a while, wearing only their lingerie under the hotel's heavy and precious covers, when John felt something warm and wet dropping on his arm. He pulled away enough to see that Ronnie was silently crying and felt panic rising in his chest.

"Ronnie, what's wrong?!"

"Nothing, I… I'm so happy right now I don't know…" She confessed, her lips wobbling between a smile and a sob and he let out a relieved sigh and kissed her temple. 

"I'm so glad you're happy, I was so scared I did something wrong..." 

“Oh no, it was beautiful… are you sure this won’t get us into trouble?” She raised her head to look in his green eyes and he huffed with a smile. They didn’t even get fully naked but her so pure question made him melt.

“Quite so, don't worry." He wiped away her tears with his thumb.

"If _this_ was already so good I can't imagine how our real union will be…" She smiled and let out a chuckle while he rolled his eyes.

"Don't think about it right now, ok? Enjoy what we had tonight, keep it in your heart until we’ll be free." John emphasized the _we_ , because she wasn’t alone in her vows, it was about the two of them and he felt the need to remind her. 

"I'll do it. It was beautiful… I love you John."

"Love you too." 

They gave each other a last kiss and fell asleep, enjoying their last night at the Fanelli Hotel.

\---*---

The sun was shining bright in the sky and it was a perfect day to reprise their trip, the whole group had an abundant breakfast and finally packed up to go. Apparently Roger has been the only one in the boys' room who managed to sleep, dreaming of the beautiful Dominique, while Brian has been bothered by the constant sound of Frederick rolling in his bed, unable to sleep well the first night without Jim. 

"It's always like that, then I get used to it…" he apologised to the Elf, who wasn't already a deep sleeper by himself and Freddie didn't help. 

They thanked Joe Fanelli for his hospitality and walked out the hotel. It was at the beginning of the main road to Nolfast that they found a familiar face waiting at the roadside with a full bag in her hands and a radiant smile on her face.

"Dominique!" Roger yelled in surprise and ran towards her, soon followed by his friends.

"Why are you here?" He asked, part of him wishing that she wanted to join them.

"Oh, I knew you would've reprised your trip this morning so I brought you some food!" She handed Roger the bag and all of them sniffed the wonderful scent of fruits and baked bread that came out of it.

"We already have supplies, but you know it's always good to have some extras… thank you so much Miss. Beyrand!" Brian held her hands and Freddie gave her a deep bow while John smiled shyly as always and Ronnie said a soft "thank you" as well. 

As much as he'd loved to kiss her lips right there and right now, Roger simply took Dom's hand and kissed its back softly, his blue eyes meeting hers once again as a farewell. He wanted to treasure her eyes for the rest of the trip.

"Good luck on your adventure!" She waved her hands as they walked away and then went back to the market.

It felt weird to reprise their walk after all that happened. The last time it was only the five of them, Frederick was their prisoner and Roger was madly angry at him, John and Veronica were trying to push their feelings away and Brian was worried for all of them. Well, he was always worried for all of them, but this time he was indeed a bit more relaxed. They had met Jim on the way, travelling on his wagon was much more comfortable and John and Ronnie had finally accepted their feelings for each other and bonded a lot more, even if their relationship was still meant to be a secret. 

With their bellies stuffed, their energies restored and their hearts at peace, they kept walking and chatting on the road for hours and the time literally flew.

Every now and then, Ronnie’s mind flashed memories of the previous night that made her blush, a bit ashamed for indulging her own desires but also really happy for how good John made her feel without actually making her break her vows. They exchanged a few side glances trying to act casual, but John was head over heels about it and mentally prepared a few replies if any of the others asked him the reason for his unusually light hearted mood, while his fingers _casually_ brushed against her hand as they kept walking side by side.

In a blink it was getting darker and they decided to settle down for the night not too far from the road but always carefully hidden among the trees. 

"...and she's studying Sylvan and Draconic! Yeah I get Draconic but who speaks Sylvan anymore these days? That's so cool! And when she said a couple of words in Orc? Oh you should've heard her, I never imagined someone could make that language sound so pretty! But of course, she is already pretty, she’s the prettiest girl of the land-"

"Roger, the bonfire!" Brian scolded him since he's been talking non stop about Dominique for hours now and he was letting the fire extinguished. 

"Yeah sorry-" he managed to revive the flames but went on talking about the Dwarfette.

In the meantime John and Freddie were setting down the beds, while Ronnie was cutting some veggies for dinner.

She kept silently listening to Roger’s shower of praises and after the whole day a little voice turned on in her mind, creeping silently between the Dwarf’s words and getting closer to her ears. Suddenly she found herself wondering if John had ever thought of praising her that much, even if the previous night he’s been literally worshipping her like never before… and if she was worthy of so many praises, actually. Dominique apparently wasn't just naturally beautiful but also had a unique talent and she seemed so fierce, while Veronica… she was just a healer and a kids' teacher, not even that pretty compared to many others, she was just a skinny girl with no family, not even a true Elf or a true Human, and so she felt a cold grip squeezing her heart. 

"Everything all right?" John's voice woke her up all of a sudden and her hand slipped, cutting her finger with the knife. 

"I'm not even good at cutting the veggies." She sobbed, clutching her hand around her finger while a drop of blood fell on the ground. 

John kneeled next to her with a worried frown, checking the wound. A soft light spreaded from her palm and her cut disappeared, but he was aware that something else wasn't right in her heart. 

"W-what do you mean, Ronnie?" He stared at her, trying to find an answer.

"Nothing…" she whispered but her eyes glanced at the bonfire and at the paladin.

"It's about Roger, uh?" John softly moved a strand of hair behind her ear and she finally looked at him. "What did he say that bothered you so much?"

"Miss. Beyrand is so talented and pretty… I'm just a weight." Her lower lip trembled dangerously as all the downgrading thoughts she were having about herself materialised in her voice.

John's hands squeezed hers as he let out a shocked gasp. 

"What? Oh no, Ronnie, that's not true!" He sat on the log next to her, never leaving her hands as his eyes demanded her to believe all his words and wipe away her own shame. 

"Listen to me Veronica, you're fantastic, you saved my life, our lives, more than once, and you're so sweet… and for me you're the most beautiful woman ever." 

In her mind that little annoying dark voice was recklessly fighting with John's luminous words. 

"Do you really think so?" She sniffed. Maybe he was right...

"Of course. Roger is a chat box, but trust me that all the praises he's giving to Dominique I've been thinking the same amount about you. Even more, everyday since I met you." John smiled and with his thumb delicately wiped away a tear that was trying to run down her cheek, before giving her a small kiss where the tear slid. He hoped that it was enough and when her lips finally curved upwards he knew it worked.

"You ok guys?" Frederick walked to them and as he saw Ronnie's blood on her hands and a worried John next to her, he wanted to be sure everyone was fine.

"Yes, I was just praising Ronnie as much as Roger is praising Dominique." John let out with a smug grin and the Half-Elf blushed, not expecting it at all.

"Oh, she deserves all of it! But I saw blood…" The Tiefling pointed at her, but when she opened her hand there was no trace of a wound, only some blood that came out of it earlier.

"Got distracted and cut my hand… but it's ok, I healed it." 

"See? That's great, I couldn't do that!" He grinned widely and finally Ronnie let out a relieved chuckle, making that dark voice disappear from her mind. 

\---*---

They were all around the bonfire lying under their wool covers, Roger chosen as the first to make the night shift. 

Sleeping again on the beds of leaves and covers on the ground after three nights in the Hotel's comfort wasn't easy for any of them and Brian was the only one who didn't complain too much about it. They were all having a hard time falling asleep so they ended up quietly chatting once again, with Ronnie dozing off every now and then in John's arms.

Roger let out a deep sigh after a while, followed by a groan towards the night sky.

"What was that?" Freddie asked, raising an eyebrow at the Dwarf's unexpected frustration.

"I was wondering if I should actually write to Dominique… I know I promised but what if she doesn't like me? We've known each other only for a day, I'm pathetic!" He whined, hanging his head and ruffling up his blonde hair to release his steam.

"Really, Roger? After the whooole evening talking about her and singing the praises like a schoolboy, now you're having doubts?!" The Tiefling's laugh bounced among the trees and Roger scoffed.

"I don't know! What if I write her and she realizes I'm an idiot and she liked me only for my face?" He pointed at his own face with a disgusted frown.

"I don't see what's wrong with your face…" John observed.

"I'm pretty, John! A Dwarf is not supposed to be pretty, especially a male one!"

"She's a Dwarfette and she's really pretty though." Brian added from the opposite side of the campfire.

"Yeah but first she's a girl and second she looks a lot like her mother and she's a halfling, so that's not valid!" Roger explained, clearly his friends weren't understanding.

"You really talk about your beauty as a curse, Roger, I thought you were glad to have lots of girls around you because of it." The Elf remarked.

"Even your mate… Tom? Tim? Well, he was jealous of it, what an idiot!" Freddie dramatically blew his fringe, trying not to push too much on the fact that he killed Tim and it wasn't the best idea to talk again about it. The Dwarf apparently ignored him anyway, keeping the topic on his own face.

"It IS a curse! Do you have any idea of how many people stopped only at my exteriors because I'm pretty? How many Dwarves bullied me because of this face begginning with my own father?" He raised his voice and Veronica finally spoke up, despite her thin and almost sleepy voice was the opposite of Roger's loud tone.

"I remember you told me… You didn't want to let out your more cheerful side because of it…" She reminded Roger about their conversation from weeks ago and he found himself surprised she didn't forget about it.

"I'm glad you remember, miss. Veronica. Yes, I… everyone sees me and thinks _'oh a Dwarf shouldn't be that pretty!'_ Or _'A pretty person shouldn't behave like a grotesque Dwarf!'_ I have a heart right?!" 

"I'm sure Dominique saw your heart too, not just your face, Roger." Ronnie replied in a sweet and sincere tone that made Roger soften. 

"How… how do you know?" He stammered.

"I've seen it while I was with you in her room and even later at dinner at the Beyrands, in both of you." She gave him a sleepy smile hoping to reassure him, every hint of her jealousy was gone now and all she wanted was to make Roger feel better. She knew how much a sparkle of hope and reassurance could mean and most of all she wanted to forget that silly crack he inadvertently made in her self-esteem.

"If it helps, I think all the presents here know there's a big heart behind that pretty face and that hard armor." Brian added softly with a nod, smiling in the bonfire's dim light. 

"You demonstrated that very well, anyway." Deaky confirmed, showing his more friendly side every once in a while.

"Thanks guys…" The Dwarf lowered his head as he felt his cheeks flushing and his heart fluttering, his friends' words growing in his heart like a hopeful flower. 

"Well, what I understand here is that we’re having an identity crisis going on... you've never let that facade fall because of a girl before meeting Miss. Beyrand, right?" Freddie asked, sitting on his pile of leaves while Roger ran a hand on his face. 

"Yeah, I've never minded those occasional girls that approached me for my look, I like having a good shag every now and then, but no, it happened only once that I actually fell in love and it didn't end up well… I thought that girl was in love with me too but apparently she was just happy that her boyfriend was a pretty boy in shiny armor and was in love with the _me_ that wasn't _me_. Whenever I acted more freely she was annoyed and never listened to me... I thought we could've worked and she seemed wonderful to my eyes, but I was wrong."

"Ugh, that sucks-" Brian winced. He thought about him and Chrissie, at how actually in love they used to be but also at how she expected him to be someone he wasn’t and at how hard it was for her to accept his "no"s.

"I mean, I sense that Dominique is different and I really want her to be in love with me, but I feel like an idiot…" The Dwarf sighed, pouting his lips. 

The silence that followed was filled by the sound of crickets in the night and by gears turning in their heads.

"I think you should write that in your letter. Sure you can keep her updated about our adventures but also let her know your feelings… or else she would end up not knowing the real Roger, as your previous girl." John finally suggested the easiest but at the same time most difficult thing to do, pointing out a rather obvious solution that everyone actually dodged.

"Whoa- yes, Deaky is right!" Freddie clapped his hands with enthusiasm and John sheepishly hid his face behind his curtain of hair, not too enthusiast of that attention.

"Just… just laying down an idea, that's it."

"Well, I'll try anyway… thanks, mate." The blonde smiled with a shrug.

Brian kept for himself the memory of Roger trying to write the letter to his headquarters that time when they found Tim dead, and how much he struggled to find the right words. Maybe this time would’ve been different, also guided by his love for Dominique, but the Elf promised himself to help him if he needed a hand.

“Is your goddess happy that you found love?” Veronica’s voice chimed out of the blue, making everyone’s heart flip as they all thought she was already asleep. 

Roger eyed at the stars.

“I… I guess. I’ll try to see if she fancies talking to me this time or if she just plans to observe and watch me struggling as always.” He said quietly. He didn’t think too much about it, but Veronica was right: after all Sune was goddess of beauty and love and he’s always been a good paladin for her, even if she’s not been the best of patrons. His unnatural beauty was her fault after all, a whim of hers for whatever godly reason, and if she really wanted to have her own beautiful and in love “paladin of beauty and love” she owed him at least a helping hand this time.

He lowered his eyes to the campsite and gave Veronica a hopeful nod, to which she replied with a smile.

They all wished goodnight to each other and fell asleep, leaving Roger with his thoughts and prayers.

  
  


\---*---

_She’s running barefoot on the gravel road, the dirt hurting her feet but she has to keep running._

_Screaming men made of fire are chasing her, yelling her name and other slurs that make her ears bleed._

_Finally she arrives under the towering walls of a city, she has already seen it in her prayers and her dreams. She calls it the city of bronze because of the bricks that colored the buildings in a red as warm as a hug._

_The huge gate opens but the flaming men somehow manage to graze her dress while the door gets further, impossible to reach._

_She has to reach that door, to get in the city, but the flaming men are faster, her limbs burn under their grasp._

_Suddenly a silhouette appears at the gate, he has a pair of horns and a crown on his head and he stretches out her arms._

_“No! We will not let you go!” The flaming men scream and Veronica replies. “Let me go!!!”_

_She leaps forward and finally catches Frederick’s arms, escaping from the flaming men. When the gate closes she feels Frederick’s hands leading her into someone’s embrace and John’s scent fills her nose._

_She’s safe._

Veronica shot her eyes open and grasped onto John's arms, waking him up all of a sudden. 

"Ronnie?" He whispered, moving some hair away from her sweaty face. Her sleep has been irregular and disturbed until now, he felt her twitching in his arms clearly bothered by something.

She squeezed herself against his chest and let a couple of warm tears drop on her arm.

"Nightmare…" was all she could murmur before her tiredness claimed her back in the dream world, now safe and sound. 

Freddie, who was guarding the campsite, glanced at them and John met his eyes in the dark. 

"Is she ok?" The Tiefling asked in a whisper, getting a nod from the human in response.

"She fell asleep again now." 

"Good." He shook his head while a thought began swirling in his mind. "Deaky?"

John hummed, asking Freddie to go on. But the Tiefling hesitated, losing his gaze in the bonfire's ashes while he decided it wasn't the right moment to talk now. And so he gave John another smile. 

"Nothing, you two are so cute together." 

The Human somehow knew it wasn't exactly what Freddie was meaning to say, but he thanked him anyway blushing a bit for the compliment. Then he gave Ronnie's head a small peck and fell asleep once again.

\---*--- 

The morning after the sun was shining bright, almost blinding without any cloud taming its light, and the air was so still it was making the heat difficult to handle. 

While the others were packing up to reprise their walk to Nolfast and having some fruit as breakfast, Brian distended the map in front of him and frowned. 

"I'm afraid I don't have good news." He mumbled, earning a worried gaze from everyone else, who got closer.

"We weren't supposed to stop in Egwals but in this other city, when we ran from the fire we took a small deviation. Nothing too big, it's actually a shorter road so I didn't mind too much when first I looked at the map the other day to check the distance." He explained, running his finger on the map to show their road.

"But? There is a _'but'_ , right?" Veronica asked, staring at the map. She didn't see anything bad on it, but Brian's tone didn't bode very well. 

"We have to walk through this forest here, called Nimvanh. Talking with some Druids at the market I've been told the forest got wilder in the last years and apparently it's haunted by ghosts and spirits." 

"What?!" The others gasped and John furrowed his brows.

"I see a small castle on the map…" He pointed at the drawing, in the middle of the forest there was a little symbol that meant _castle_. 

"It's a ruin, nothing's left there but a bunch of stone walls... We'll have to camp for a night in the forest, maybe we can use them as a shelter." Brian suggested and despite the enthusiasm wasn’t sparkling in their spirits, they all agreed with him, finished packing up and walked down the road. 

After a while Roger had to take his armor's chestplate off because of the heat and John tied up his long hair in a ponytail, earning a flustered glare from Veronica. 

"You're cute." She murmured and the Human tried to hide the huge grin that formed on his face and his red cheeks.

After almost an hour of walking under the burning sun, they finally arrived in front of the forest’s mouth.

There was a wooden sign with a message engraved on it.

_TRAVELLERS BEWARE._

_The forest is dark and haunted, it is suggested the presence of a spellcaster in your group._

_Do not enter alone. Do not set the trees on fire. Do not disturb the spirits._

Someone carved a “Good luck” at the end of the warning and there was a paper attached to the sign with the advert of an exploration team that was settled in Egwals and offered to escort people to the other side of the forest. 

“Well, they should’ve advertised their group in the city and not only here…” Roger observed sarcastically and John snorted.

By her side, Ronnie's worry raised in the pit of her stomach, the warning sign had its effect. 

"Well, all of us are spellcasters and we're in a group, so guess we're not that doomed…" Freddie pointed out. "I promise I won't set any tree on fire. Probably it's just a long walk in a spooky place." 

"I really hope so…" Brian whispered, peeking at the intricate maze of trees. 

"Shall we get in, then?" John asked and Ronnie instinctively held his hand, looking for some comfort. The other three nodded and stepped in the forest.

It was similar and opposite to the forest where they met Frederick and fought against the Owlbears. The fronds were dense and blocking the sunlight as well, but instead of pure silence here the forest felt alive, with little noises coming from all around. Every tree was twisted in impossible shapes, extreme curves and wooden knots, while the roots came out from the ground like waves of the sea. 

The temperature was lower and Roger had to put his armor back on while John set his hair flowing on his shoulders once again. And it was humid, terribly humid. The trunks were covered in soft green moss, and so were the stones that sometimes appeared around the path. 

The group followed the grass road in silence for a while, a mixture of awe and worry filling their lungs like molasses. It was a beautiful place, but all the warnings they have had were vivid in their mind.

Brian's ears were tense and he kept his eyes wide open. 

"Bri?" The blonde Dwarf interrupted the silence. "Do you, ehh… _feel_ something?" 

The druid's fingers grazed a tree and he sniffed the air. There was definately something weird and inexplicable and trying to read this forest was like cracking an ancient code.

"Every plant here is full of flowing magic, I feel thousands of creatures watching us from a distance… it's like a temple, I don't know how to explain." 

"I get the same feeling…" Ronnie murmured and all of them agreed.

They kept walking for what seemed hours, always intimidated by the forest, when John felt a familiar chill on his neck.

"Ronnie…" He clamped his hand above his heart, a strong nausea hitting him all of a sudden while a low haunting noise vibrated in his ears.

"John? What…?" As soon as she glanced at his pale face she knew something was wrong and the whole group stopped to look at the wizard.

He gave Brian a desperate stare that sent the Elf shivers down his spine.

"W-where are the ruins?" John asked in a weak voice.

"I… I don't know, they must be somewhere here, there's only one path…" He gestured at the single road they've been following since the beginning.

"What's happening?" Roger questioned, his hands ready to draw the swords.

"Deaky?" Frederick placed a hand on his shoulder, fearing the worst.

"A storm." He stated dryly and the others exchanged a terrified look.

"A storm?! When?" Ronnie asked with despair.

John shook his head in disbelief, the panic rising in his chest made it difficult to breathe. He always sensed storms a day before their arrival, but this time it seemed to appear from nowhere, angry and dark, catching him completely off guard.

"Ten minutes."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Aaaannd yep a new storm already!!! This one's going to be a challenge, I've already written most of the next chapter and I hope to post it soon, I'm really happy about it.
> 
> If you were wondering or needed a confirm: no, John and Veronica didn't have sex of any kind at the hotel, they just had an intense session of making out and almost-naked cuddles. Which can be very pleasurable but still needs consent and John wanted to set some boundaries to not cross in order to protect Ronnie. Was it enough? Was it too much? We'll see...  
> Also some more of Roger's troubles have been unravelled and a few pieces of his backstory came out. I really love writing him tbh hahah   
> Once again please let me know your thoughts about this chapter! I was mostly uncertain about John's confession, him not being a virgin was something I decided at the beginning of the story as part of his charatcer but I wasn't sure on how to reveal it- he's not really fond of his first experience tho, it's part of his troubled wanderings and wants to leave it behind.


	13. Whisper to me, please

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "A storm?! When?" Ronnie asked with despair.  
> John shook his head in disbelief, the panic rising in his chest made it difficult to breathe. He always sensed storms a day before their arrival, but this time it seemed to appear from nowhere, angry and dark, catching him completely off guard.  
> "Ten minutes."
> 
> This is where we left our heroes! The storm is here and they got caught by surprise, what are they going to do? Not much else to say about this chapter without giving spoilers, but I must admit I realy really loved writing it!

As John predicted, a heavy rain started pouring in the matter of a few minutes and they quickened their pace hoping to find the castle's ruins as soon as possible. Brian tried to communicate with a couple of owls and squirrels but all of them ignored him and ran away in their shelters in the deep of the forest. 

It didn't take them long to be completely drenched and the forest's humidity didn't help, the fronds engulfing the raindrops' size and the grassy path quickly turning into mud. 

And if at first some rays of sunshine filtered through the trees, painting the woods with emerald green, now the clouds above turned off the light completely, drowning the forest in a deep, misty grey. 

They kept running and John could already feel the nausea rising and twisting his guts. Ronnie was holding his hand firmly, trying to help his run, but she knew he was getting weaker at every step until he suddenly stopped and she almost fell backwards. 

"John, come on!" She cried and the other boys stopped as well.

A low thunder rumbled in the distance and John's guts flipped, flashbacks of his accident already peeking in his mind while his scars began to burn and his head to hurt. The run and his soaked clothes and hair didn't help either. 

He fell on his knees and threw up in the middle of the forest.

"What the Hell?!" Freddie whined and ran to help him stand up next to Veronica, who was pale as a ghost and trying her best to not panic. 

"Damn, John!" Roger cursed and noticed the Human was barely standing. Another thunder, louder, and John let out a pained groan, his knees giving up again. 

"Put him on my back, I'll carry him!" Roger pointed at his shoulders and Freddie helped them. Roger was short and it was odd to see John's long limbs curled around his small figure, but the Dwarf was physically the strongest of them all and they reprised their run to the ruins with the Human carefully settled on his back.

Brian was leading the way, but as the forest got deeper everything began to be confused, dark and labyrinthine and the Elf had to slow down. 

"Brian, for the Gods' sake, where are the ruins?!" Roger yelled at him and Brian shot him a gelid glare.

"I don't fucking know!!!" He shouted back, his voice echoing through the trees like the storm's thunders. 

"Fuck." Freddie whispered, looking around in vain. 

"You are the forest expert here! Do something!" The Dwarf kept arguing, while John on his back was weaker and numb, murmuring something about his father and beginning to lose his mind in a feverish delirium. 

"I don't know  _ everything _ about everything, Roger! I've never been here and this forest is magical, if you didn't notice!" Brian raised his voice again, a foreign anger boiling in his head.

"You're the only one of us who uses magic to talk with the trees, _ if you didn't notice! _ " Roger mocked him and Brian clenched his fists ready to punch the Dwarf.

"PLEASE, STOP!" Veronica let out a broken cry, owning the boys' attention. 

"Stop arguing, please! We need to find shelter as soon as possible!" She sobbed, her face streaked with tears and raindrops. 

A loud thunder exploded above their heads and John convulsed on Roger's back, letting out a pained scream and gripping his hands around the Dwarf's arms. Ronnie knew he was already reviving his trauma and she wanted to find a safe place to take care of him, but it seemed impossible. 

"I know, Veronica, but all we can do is keep running and follow the path, I can't- I can't do anything…" Brian tried to regain his focus in an apologetic tone, but it led Ronnie only to break down and cry desperately. 

"No, no, Veronica!" Frederick winded his arms and cloak around her shoulders and let her cry on his chest. "We'll find the castle, just… just keep walking, ok?" 

Freddie's encouragement had the opposite effect he was hoping for, sounding to Ronnie's mind as a hopeless lie that meant they weren't going to find the castle at all. 

The forest was enhancing all their emotions and playing with their minds, and Veronica's pure heart got squeezed by all her fears of losing John, of losing themselves in the forest and never getting out, of never being able to love John ever again. 

The storm roared angrily, vibrating in their ears, and she let out a heartbroken wail against Freddie's chest, not sure if the desperate prayer in her mind was for her God or for the forest itself. 

Somehow, at least the forest heard it. 

The tiniest of flames, purple and white, appeared at her feet. 

At first she thought it was a trick of her blurred mind, then she blinked and noticed all of her companions had a small flame floating on the ground in front of them, and they all were looking at the fires lost and confused.

"Will-O-Wisps?" Brian whispered in disbelief. 

As his voice spoke, a trail of flames appeared in the forest, tracing a new path different from the main one. 

"Who of you did this?" Roger asked, adjusting John on his back but all of his friends shook their heads.

"The forest did. We should follow…" Frederick murmured and walked forward, leading Veronica next to him. 

Keeping a sustained pace, the whole group followed the path of Will-O-Wisps under the pouring rain in complete silence until they finally saw a wall and the flames disappeared. 

Shivering like thin leaves and completely drenched, they stepped in the ruins looking for a spot sheltered from the rain. The castle was big, ancient and made of stone, mostly destroyed by the time and by the nature surrounding it, but it still had some intact roofs, pavements and stairs.

They saw a descending stair but decided that hiding in the underground dungeons of a ruined castle during a heavy rain wasn't the best option.

The grand stair made of stone in the main hall though had a small room underneath, probably used as a storage, and it was the perfect nest for them. 

Ronnie and Brian took out their blankets from the backpacks, sighing in relief when they saw they weren't too damp for the rain, and settled them on the stone floor making an impromptu bed mostly for John but for all of them too.

It wasn't the softest place to rest, but it was enough and when they helped John lying down he sighed in relief. 

"Fred, can you turn on a fire?" Brian asked quietly, not really caring if he called the Tiefling by his shorter nickname for the first time. Everyone was too tired to notice.

Frederick nodded and settled up a small bonfire using some stones he found nearby and a bit of his Warlock magic. 

Ronnie took a moment to check on her ancient parchments and found out the protective spell she had put on them had worked fine against the rain.

"This armor is useful only to fight." Roger groaned, removing all the pieces of his armor and emptying his metal boots from the water out of the room's door, murmuring a stream of curses. 

"How is he?" The Elf questioned while Ronnie placed a hand on John's forehead. He was pale and barely conscious, shivering both for the cold of the rain and for his own nightmares that were setting his scars on fire. 

"He's burning… his fever wasn't this high the last time…" 

"The last time he wasn't soaking wet for the rain…" Brian replied, placing his own hand on the cleric's forehead and then on his own. "I think we all have a small fever right now… not as bad as him though." 

The whole castle trembled as a thunder shook the earth and John tensed, clutching his hand around Ronnie's arm all of a sudden. 

"John! John, I'm here… we're safe, it's ok…" she whispered, caressing his head and kissing his temple. 

His breath was heavy and in a glimpse of consciousness he sat up and his hand went to his bandages, trying to rip them off.

"Wait!" She tried to stop him but he stared into her eyes, asking for help.

"It burns, Ronnie, I need to get- to get them off!" He moaned, his voice deep and sore. 

"But… but they'll see you…" The Half-Elf reminded him of the others' presence but he seemed to not care, his scars hurting him too much for him to worry about his companions.

"It burns! It hurts, take them off!" He groaned again gritting his teeth and Ronnie murmured a low "okay" before turning to face the others.

"Guys. I have to ask you a favor. When we'll get out of here… you didn't see anything. Promise me." She gave them a serious stare, another secret held in their hands. And like they had promised silence about the love between John and Veronica, they promised silence about John's scars too. 

With trembling hands Ronnie began to carefully untie his bandages, revealing his skin. Once again his marbled scars were angry and red like cracks on a volcano, the signs of the thunder that tore him apart replying to the storm above. 

They looked worse than the previous stormy night, Ronnie could feel them pulsing and burning under her fingers, making John's fever more intense and his flashbacks more painful. He let out a pained huff and he laid back again, feeling the cool air against his burning skin made him grit his teeth and contort his face.

Brian, Roger and Frederick were frozen on the spot, even if they felt guilty for staring at John's scars it was very difficult for them to move their eyes away. 

"By the Gods… what happened to him?" Roger asked, his voice quiet and slightly shaky. Whatever he had wondered about John's scars vanished from his mind and got replaced by the terrible truth.

"Is it… dark magic?" Frederick echoed, trying to guess, but Ronnie shook her head while kneeling at John's side and drying his head with a cloth.

"He got hit by a thunder many years ago. He survived, but during every storm he revives that night in his mind and… in his flesh." She murmured and placed her palms flat on his chest, whispering the prayer that ignited her healing spell. 

Brian let out a sharp sigh and dove his hands in his curls while the sole idea of being hit by a thunderstruck sent shivers of horror down his spine. He glanced at the other and it was clear they were thinking the same.

"Fuck, that's awful." Was all Roger managed to say. "I'm sorry…" 

Frederick stared at the cleric as she performed her magic, and by the silent tears streaking her cheeks and by her frown he knew there was something more personal behind John's story, but he didn't ask.

_ 'He'll tell you when he's ready' _ she said at the hotel, and she probably was feeling guilty enough for revealing his scars in front of them. 

A stream of thunders roared above the castle and John winced, trapped in his memories. He leaned forward and winded his arms around Veronica, holding her tight and burying his head against her neck.

"My father, help my father…" he cried and Ronnie ran her hand on his cheek trying to soothe him.

"It's over, John, you're safe…" she kept chanting, trying at least to bring him back to the present. "I'm with you now, ok? I'm Veronica, I'm here…" 

"Veronica, is there something we can... do?" Brian asked quietly, doing his best to not disturb and she took a moment to think.

"Are you able to make something like a soothing tea or balm? I'm the only one who can heal him with magic, but another remedy for his fever would be lovely." 

"Yeah I can try…" He nodded and began to fumble in his bag looking for his herbal kit and the tiny pot and mugs they used while camping.

"And, uh, and what can we do?" Frederick questioned, wanting to help. 

"I know it's not easy with this humidity but maybe try to get our stuff dry on the fire and not burn them-" Brian suggested and the Tiefling took out most of their stuff from the bags. He realised it was a rather obvious thing to do after a run under the pouring rain but he forgave himself for getting distracted by literally everything else. 

Meanwhile Roger carefully placed another blanket on Ronnie's shoulder, making a small cocoon with her and John in it.

"Thank you, Roger." She gave him a grateful smile.

"No problem. This is what friends are for." 

\---*---

Hours passed and the storm didn't give any sign of surrender yet. The boys admired Veronica's incessant healing spell on John and how patiently she took care of him, trying to soothe his feverish nightmares and whispering words of love. 

Eventually they moved John to a more comfortable sitting position, resting his back against the wall covered with blankets, and Brian, Roger and Frederick all curled up next to John and Ronnie to keep each other warm in front of the small bonfire; Brian's hot tea filled all their hearts and tamed their fevers, giving them all a moment of relax in their soft nest made of wool.

"I'm sorry I lost my temper earlier…" the Elf murmured and Roger glanced at him, an apologetic smile on his lips. 

"Same for me. I took for granted you knew everything about nature and I got mad without listening. Sorry, mate." 

"Brian, I was wondering…" Frederick chimed in from the other side of the cuddle pile they made. "How come you can't understand this forest?" 

Ronnie, in the middle, moved her curious gaze from Freddie to Brian.

"Well, Druids can listen to the forest's whispers, it's like a flow of magic and energy that runs all over trees, animals, plants, and every creature and every forest has its own flow. Connecting with this flow we can convert it into magic and use it as we need."

"But…?" Freddie pushed.

"But this forest is ancient and its energy is so different than the ones I'm used to… it feels more intricate, probably if I were a more expert Druid I could understand it." He lost his gaze in the bonfire, guilty for not having been helpful enough.

"I think you're great anyway, Brian." The Tiefling tried to comfort him with a relieving toothy smile and the Elf gave him a small nod of gratitude. 

The conversation about magic and trees slowly died in a renewed silence that left room for the storm outside, still loud and angry.

John had just taken the last sip of tea and Veronica placed his cup aside, giving him a loving stare. She was gently caressing his cheek with her thumb when, without even thinking, he leaned forward and kissed Ronnie's lips as if they were alone while the sky rumbled again outside their nest. 

It was slow and soft, a safe shore during the storm inside of him, and even if she felt embarrassed on the spot she accepted it and kissed him back, closing her eyes and running her hand through his wavy hair. 

Then he fell in a slightly less tormented sleep and she reprised her healing spell with her cheeks flushed vividly. 

The silence that followed was a bit thicker than before, it was the first time the others had actually seen John and Ronnie showing so much affection in front of them and that moment of intimacy hit all their hearts. 

Roger's mind went to Dominique. 

Beautiful and fierce Dominique, who he had just met and already caught his heart. He thought about her being held captive by the Goblin's chief and wondered if the cave was similar to the stone room they were in right now, and how she dealt with it. He wondered how soon he would be able to see her again, kiss her again, hold her close again. While thinking of what to write her in his letter and picturing her silky raven hair in his mind, Roger fell asleep curled up at John's side. 

At the other side, Frederick gave Ronnie a sheepish smile and felt his heart fluttering, happy to see the wizard and the cleric expressing their love in such a cute but also dramatic way. It reminded him of Jim and himself, and how much they loved each other despite the society's disapproval. 

Two men of the most exotic half-human races being together? Everyone thought they were freaks, a mistake, but love always transcends every rule, every "logic", and love wanted them to find each other. 

He missed his Jim so much and he thought of his strong and warm embrace, he loved sleeping in his big hairy arms and listening to his steady heartbeat, it was the safest place in his world. The wall of stone behind his back was no Jim, and so it weren't John and Ronnie's slim figures at his side, but he did his best to imagine falling asleep in his lover's hug, hoping to see his smile soon. 

Brian was curled up next to Roger and kept Veronica some company for a while simply by staying awake, the cleric was always focused on John's heart and like that night at the hotel she was whispering old stories to the Human. He was in a sort of trance, sometimes his eyes slightly opened as he tried his best to grasp the sound of Ronnie's voice and then closed again, but it was evident that his sleep was hurting him. 

The Elf watched them and his mind brought him back to his childhood, to those moments when his father, the great fighter Harold May hero of many wars and fearless knight, was hit by gruesome memories of the battlefield while he was perfectly safe between his home's walls, breaking down in Ruth's arms like a wounded dog. 

Exactly like his father, John was using his beloved's voice as an anchor to reality to not be swallowed by the past. 

At least John seemed to have a more gentle heart than the great Harold May whenever he wasn’t reviving his trauma… 

_ "I don't want to become a knight and slaughter people on a battlefield like Father." _

_ "Who said you have to?" _

_ "He told me. Father wants me to be a great fighter like him, to be strong and fierce, to stop being always so…" _

_ "Kind? Gentle?" _

_ "Weak."  _

_ Chrissie groaned and abandoned her back on the grass field.  _

_ "Kindness is not weakness, Brian. You can do great things being kind and helping others." _

_ "You… you think so?" He was sitting next to her and gave her a glance, his big hazel eyes widening with surprise.  _

_ "Yeah! My mother's a teacher, you know, and my father's showing me how to be a druid, and they're not weak! I want to help people when I grow older, not kill ‘em. It's better." _

_ Brian rested his chin on his knees, losing his gaze in the endless field in front of them. _

_ "A druid…" He murmured and slowly a smile appeared on his lips. He’s always been drawn to nature, preferring to stay outside, explore and stargaze rather than being home fixing armors with his father.  _ _   
_ _ "I'd love to be a druid… talking with nature, reading the stars, becoming an animal and helping others through Mother Nature's magic. It would be amazing."  _

_ "It would suit you so much! You already look like a tree!" Chrissie giggled and Brian gave her a playful pout before laying on the grass next to her, engaging a tickle battle with his best friend on the hills behind his house.  _

_ Little he knew about their future. _

"Brian?" A whisper from a different female voice interrupted his memories. 

"Mmh?" 

"You look terribly tired, try to sleep…" Ronnie gave him a motherly nod while she held her spell on John's upper body. 

"But… I can't leave you alone." He replied. He was indeed incredibly tired, that single day inside the haunted forest has been harder than their escape from the fire and the mission against the goblins, he was in a forest that didn't click with his powers and without the unexpected help of the Will-O-Wisps they would've still been directly under the pouring rain. 

"I'm not alone." Ronnie smiled. "You're all here anyway, I'll wake one of you up if I need. You've done enough for today." 

And so, with Ronnie's blessing, Brian closed his eyes and leaned next to Roger's tiny body as a tear for his good memories rolled down his cheek, and then he fell asleep too. 

The storm seemed to have calmed down, and even if the rain was still dense and incessant outside their shelter's door, at least the thunders were more distant and muffled. 

The nightmares were swirling in John's mind claiming him back to the past, but it was as if he looked at himself from outside this time, his young self covered in bandages like a corpse laying on his bed and balancing on the fine line between death and life. The thunderstorm's rumbles from far away were his mother's desperate sobs and he tried to open his eyes to escape the vision. 

Veronica was there now, in the dark stone room, curled up on his lap with her tiny hands on his chest and both their bodies nestled in warm covers as her spell sent calming waves through his heart. The last time it didn't take this long to finally have effect and wipe away his nightmares, but he was happy that now it was actually working and making him feel better. 

Slowly he winded his arms around her, claiming her closer and leaning her head on his shoulder, while her hands never stopped glowing. 

"Thank you." He murmured, almost inaudibly, and Ronnie smiled against his skin.

"I wish I could take you to a better place and heal you properly…" Her fingers traced a luminous path on his scarred chest while her heart felt heavy.

"You're already doing more than I could wish for, Ronnie." The Human gave her a loving squeeze in his embrace, sure it was one of the worst storms he had experienced but he was with her and that was all it mattered now. He gave a soft and reassuring kiss on her forehead, holding her close.

"You should sleep, John…" She whispered. 

"Could you… could you let me hear your voice again, first?" John asked a bit awkwardly, but her voice was the only thing that could give him enough peace to sleep again right now and she gladly accepted her request.

_ "Go to sleep and dream again, _

_ Soon your hopes will rise and then _

_ From all this gloom life can start anew _

_ And there'll be no crying soon." _ She sang very quietly and then he finally fell in a deep sleep with no dreams or nightmares. 

Ronnie kept healing him for a while and when the last thunder rumbled softly in the distance she got lulled by John's warmth and the raindrops' sound, and fell asleep last. 

\---*---

A soft cold breeze hit Frederick's cheek and he wiggled his nose, bothered at first by the air and then by the green-ish sunlight that filtered through his eyelids. 

Inevitably, he woke up.

His back was stiff because of his uneasy position against the stone wall and a wave of discomfort hit him as he noticed he had one arm winded around the waist of the only girl in the group. Ronnie was laid mostly on top of John and squeezed between the Human and the Tiefling. 

Careful to not wake her up, Freddie rose on his feet and stretched his muscles, checking also on his other companions. 

Apparently they all fell asleep and no one did a guard shift, too exhausted to keep their eyes open. Roger was snoring against John's other side and Brian had curled up with his head on Roger's lap. 

"We made a cute cuddle pile, that's sure." He thought, swooning in his mind. 

Their belongings were scattered on the floor all around the bonfire's leftovers and he silently packed them back in all their bags, everything finally dried up, and then he peeked out the door.

It was a bright morning, the castle's walls were dripping everywhere creating a song of raindrops and the sun filtering through the trees gave Freddie the feeling of being underwater. It was very humid and also… impossibly cold. Much colder than when they got in the forest and even than during the storm. 

He leaned forward and, almost by accident, looked up and on the grand staircase above him. 

What he saw made the blood freeze in his veins.

A woman, dressed in a white gown, was floating towards the top of the stairs. Her eyes were locked into nothingness in front of her and Freddie mentally thanked his Patron that she didn't notice him. She seemed to be much more powerful than a normal ghost and a voice in his head suggested that the best solution was to sneak away without making her angry. 

He tiptoed back in the room and did his best to wake his teammates up in the most silent way possible. 

"Brian! John, Veronica, Roger!" He whispered through his teeth, poking all of their shoulders and heads. "Shh… wake up! But silently!" 

"Frederick, are you uhh seriously asking us to be silent?" Roger groaned at his regular volume and the Tiefling shut his mouth with a hand. 

"Yes, for Bismillah's sake, shut up! We have company." 

Brian winced and needed to blink a few times to gain some focus. 

"C-company?" Ronnie woke up and sleepily brushed her eyes, but John struggled to do the same. His limbs felt like jelly and his head was heavy, turbulent memories of the previous night were totally confusing him.

"Where… where are we?" He croaked, looking around the stone room. 

"We're in the forest of Nimvanh, yesterday there's been a storm and we found shelter in the castle's ruins." Veronica explained briefly, careful to keep her voice low, and John seemed to understand. 

"Yeah but we gotta go, as I said we have company and if she finds us we're doomed." Freddie remarked, helping Roger to wear his armor without making the steel clang.

"What kind of company?!" The Dwarf asked.

"A ghost, right above the stairs!"

"Uhh… guys?" Brian whined, his eyes glued at the door. 

There she was, standing in the doorframe and staring at them. Without even moving she was sending them all glacial shivers down their spines, and she was also blocking the only way to escape.

Brian, Roger and John made the error of staring directly into her eyes and felt pure insane terror crawling in their bones as her horrifying visage made effect. 

"Fuck, fuck, FUCK!" Freddie yelled and promptly shot an Eldritch Blast directly in her chest, pushing the ghost backwards.

She screeched, her voice hurting like nails on a chalkboard, while the adventurers quickly grabbed their bags and ran out the room. 

"She's a Banshee! Run before she wails or we're dead!" Brian screamed while running towards the exit of the castle but John was struggling to keep their pace and the Banshee was already recovering from Freddie's attack. 

Ronnie gritted her teeth, she knew some protection spells and this was the right moment to use them. Helping John to reach the others, she focused and casted a simple Bless spell on everyone, praying that it was enough until they escaped from the castle.

As expected, right when they were about to get out the Banshee let out her terrible scream that made their ears bleed and the castle shake so hard that a few stones crumbled. 

They kept running despite her wail hurt their heads and they stopped only when the castle was far behind their backs, breathless and with their brains throbbing. 

Roger and Veronica were apparently the most affected by the Banshee's cry, but despite the power of that sound none of them was severely hurt.

"I… I think I speak on behalf of everyone by thanking you, Veronica, for your spell." Brian panted and the rest of them nodded in agreement. And it was true, without her aid the Banshee's wail would've knocked them out like a bunch of flies. 

"Why the fuck I was so scared of her?! That was insane!" Roger cursed and Freddie was ready with an answer.

"It's one of the powers of a Banshee, she can make you terrified just with her eyes and you lose every bit of will to attack her!" He explained and Ronnie nodded, she had read about it once in a book and has been careful to not stare at her even if she wasn't sure that was a Banshee yet.

\---*---

They looked around, the forest seemed calm once again and Ronnie, Brian and Roger took a moment to heal each other and their friends, to rest and eat something. 

Of all of them John was the most exhausted and he clearly needed some more sleep but it wasn't safe to stay out in the forest; so they reprised their walk slowly, tired and frightened, with John using his mates' shoulders to help himself. 

"Do you want your bandages?" Ronnie asked quietly as he walked with Brian and he shook his head.

"I feel the scars burning a bit, maybe later…" he slurred a little, trying his best not to faint. 

They found again the main path and followed it for a while without being bothered by the weather nor by weird creatures, it was all as quiet as when they first got in the forest. 

After almost an hour of walk the path opened revealing a rather big clearing surrounded by huge trees that made a sort of dome with their branches and leaves, thin enough to let more sunlight in but not to show the sky above. At the center of the clearing there were a few huge vertical stones planted in the ground, settled to make a circle of menhirs with a larger circle of small stones all around and a broken stone altar in the middle. The rocks seemed ancient and covered with lichens and moss with mushrooms growing all around them, apparently no one had been there for a long time and some of them were leaning to the side. 

"This place is gorgeous…" exclaimed Freddie while looking all around. Brian grazed his fingers on a menhir while Roger helped John to sit on one of the smaller stones to rest. 

"It's a druidic temple... or a fairy circle." Brian said with a glimpse of awe in his voice. 

"Is it safe for a pause?" Roger asked and the Elf nodded, still looking around. "We can rest for a while and have lunch. Not to lower our guard, but this place seems safe."

John agreed to put his bandages on and Ronnie gave him a hand, also checking his fever and noticing with relief it was getting lower and he seemed less pale. 

"Guys, come!!!" Freddie yelled all of a sudden as if he found a treasure. "There's a text here!" 

They all ran to the menhir in front of the altar, Freddie was pointing at a text carved in the stone by whoever lived in the place centuries ago.

"It seems Elven, but…" Brian narrowed his eyes.

"It's ancient Elven!" Ronnie exclaimed. "I've studied just a bit of it, not much but I can recognise some words."

"Same for me…" The Elf joined her in their attempt to read and translate the text.

"I wonder if Dominique knows it too." Roger thought out loud. 

After a few attempts, Brian and Veronica managed to translate the engraved message and Brian read it out loud.

_ "My fairy king can see things, _

_ He rules the air and turns the tides that are not there for you and me. _

_ He guides the winds, my fairy king can do right and nothing wrong. _

It must be about the ruler of this forest, I've already heard about this Fairy King." The druid concluded with a frown and Veronica nodded at his side. 

"I know him!" Freddie exclaimed. "My mother used to sing me this exact song about the Fairy King! He's a legendary king who lived in a paradise and had great powers. The story says one day a terrible man came and completely destroyed the place leaving nothing but ruins. 

_ 'Someone, someone has drained the colour from my wings, broken my fairy circle ring and shamed the king in all his pride. Changed the winds and wronged the tides. Mother Mercury Mercury look what they've done to me, I cannot run, I cannot hide.' _ The song ended like this."

"I never liked to sing that song to my children, they always got scared." Ronnie commented, folding her arms. 

"So… this is the fairy circle ring that has been broken and the castle… must've been the Fairy King's." John observed, looking back behind his shoulders. 

"I just hope that destroyer dude is not around anymore." Roger groaned.

"Oh, he's not!" 

A high pitched voice with a weird accent came from the top of a menhir and the whole group of adventurers jumped in a defensive position, looking upwards.

"Hello travellers! Do-Ro!" The Gnome that was sitting on the menhir let himself fall on the soft grass on the ground and grinned at them. He was short and quite plumpy, with a goatee, a receding hairline and a long ponytail behind his head.  


"It's so rare to see travellers around here later, Do-Ro!" He jumped around them, staring curiously at their clothes and equipment. Instinctively the boys closed Veronica in the middle to protect her and were all ready to attack, their encounter with the Banshee still fresh in their minds.

"Who are you?" Freddie asked, trying to not sound too aggressive. 

The Gnome playfully jumped in front of him and then sat on one of the smaller stones, flipping his brown ponytail and giggling with his hands on his round belly. 

"My name is Rudi and I'm the guardian of the fairy circle ring, Do-Ro! And I'm sure you want to get out of the forest, right?" 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> New character! Did you recognise him? Rudi the Gnome is obviously inspired by Rudi Dolezal, director of some Queen music videos included It's a Hard Life, Innuendo, I'm Going Slightly Mad and many more. I didn't really plan of adding him at the beginning but here we are, keep your eyes on this dude! (I thought adding his company's name DoRo as a weir daying at the end of his phrases would've been a nice and weird addition hahhah I hope it's not too annoying!)
> 
> Aside that, I'm really proud of this chapter and I hope you've liked it too! Next one will be a bit tricky to write, I hope to be able to post it at the begnning of next month! Meanwhile I'll post other fics such as the Witches x Monsters AU and I'm writing a Xmas special! Now have a couple of technical DnD stuff in this chapter:
> 
> BANSHEE: "The woeful banshee is a spiteful creature formed from the spirit of a female elf. Its face is wreathed in a wild tangle of hair, its body clad in wispy rags that flutter and stream around it."   
> Among a Banshee's abilities/attacks there are the Horrifying Visage, that frightens whoever fails a dc13 Wisdom saving throw (all of them except Ronnie and Freddie failed it! Unlucky!) and her Wail: all creatures must make a dc13 Constitution saving throw. On a failure, a creature drops to 0 hit points (shortly: it faints and is almost dead unless healed) On a success, a creature takes 3d6 psychic damage.  
> Without Veronica's Bless spell that enhanced their Con throws half of the group would've been dead hahah *sighs* Ronnie and Roger got the most damage from those 3d6 each, but nothing too bad. Banshees are awful lmao.


	14. Chiminage

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After a turbulent and difficult stormy night in the haunted forest of Nimvanh and a scary encounter with a Banshee, our travellers have to deal with a new entry: a Gnome named Rudi. Will he actually help them? Will they get out the forest?  
> How much is the price to get out?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> GUYS ok I'm sorry it's been two months, but I've been working on all the fics for the Johnica week and a Fanzine entry, and this chapter has been a mess to write... I hope you can forgive me, I promise I won't take this long to post ch.15!  
> This chapter has lots of things, from a bit of backstories, to a fight and TWO new characters based on real people in the Queen "universe"! I hope you'll like it, please let me know in the comments! (more at the end of the chapter)

> **_Chiminage_ **
> 
> _(obsolete, law) A toll paid for passage through a forest._

"My name is Rudi and I'm the guardian of the fairy circle ring, Do-Ro! And I'm sure you want to get out of the forest, right, Do-Ro?" The Gnome sat on a stone and gave them a toothy grin that didn't convince any of them. 

"You can say that, Rudi." Brian tried to be polite, if Rudi was an inhabitant of the forest he surely knew how to move inside of it, which meant he could've led them wherever he wanted. 

"Ha! Don't you want a tour of Nimvanh first? There is a lovely castle, a lake… a fairy circle ring, but you already know that, Do-Ro." He winked playfully.

"We already know the castle too, and thanks but I don't think any of us wants to go back there." Roger gave him a gelid glare and Rudi's eyes got bigger with interest.

"Ohhh have you met the Princess?" 

"We met a Banshee." The paladin corrected, crossing his arms. 

Rudi shook his head making his ponytail flip and his face morphed into a sad frown.

"She was the Fairy King's daughter. The terrible stranger who came here centuries ago raped and killed her in front of the King, her spirit turned into a Banshee and she can leave the castle's walls only at night."

" _ Shamed the king in all his pride. _ That's what the song means." Freddie said coldly and Rudi gave him a sad nod.

"Well, you haven't seen the lake yet! It's not corrupted anymore, Do-Ro!" He lit up so suddenly that they all winced in surprise.

"Your offer is very kind, Rudi, but we just want to get out of the forest." From the middle of the group, Ronnie raised her voice and Rudi tilted his head to stare better at her.

"What's the hurry, buttercup?" His wide grin meant no good and Ronnie cursed herself for speaking out loud. 

"Well, we have… uhm, important duties and jobs, we can't stay here…" She stammered, getting quiet again.

"You know, I can get you out of here, but my service has a price, Do-Ro." The Gnome crossed his leg and mischievously raised an eyebrow. 

"I can give you all the money you need." Freddie immediately rushed forward, he knew dealing a pact with Rudi would've been risky but usually a full bag of money was enough to make anyone change their mind.

But Rudi shook his head and laughed.

"No no, Do-Ro, I really have no use of money here! What could I do, feed a fox with coins?" His laugh got louder and sent shivers down the travellers' spines. They all closed around Veronica even more and John firmly held her hand.

"I want a secret. One each, Do-Ro! The deeper it is the more value it has here in the forest! Faes and Trolls are going to love my new collection!" He widened his toothy grin and they all felt the forest getting darker and clutching around them, the fairy circle ring becoming a prison once again. 

_ _

\---*---

They didn't have any other choice but accept Rudi's deal, but he still gave them a moment to consult each other. Apparently something like 'I stole a candy from my younger sibling' wasn't a valid option and they had to let out an important secret, something  _ personal _ . 

It was clear for everyone that the following moments were going to raise questions and doubts, but they had reached a point where they trusted each other and the already existing secrets between them were like glue that held them together. Eventually they would've discussed these new secrets later, now the goal was to get out this damn forest.

"Sooo are you ready?" Rudi tiptoed closer to them with his hands behind his back, eager to listen. "Who's first?"

"Me." Ronnie spoke, raising her hand. 

"I… I let John sneak in the prohibited section of Fanose's library. For… for five nights, when I was supposed to study alone." Her cheeks flushed brightly and Rudi let out an interested "Ooh" before nodding. Veronica had told the others about her secret meetings with John and how he helped her study, but she never mentioned any sneaking into the prohibited section. And nonetheless it was a rather juicy secret for Rudi to brag about, at least she thought. 

"That's a good one, buttercup! You seem so pure and innocent but you broke a good chunk of rules, Do-Ro! Hahah!" He erupted in a loud laugh that made Ronnie even more embarrassed, conscious that she broke more rules than the Gnome was aware of.

"Hey, stop laughing! My turn now." Roger barked and Rudi gave him an annoyed grimace. 

Roger inflated his chest and closed his blue eyes, exhaling slowly and getting ready to let out his confession. He chose something from his past, something personal that he, as usually, hid from everyone. 

"I often tell others I joined the army to prove that I'm a strong Dwarf despite my unnatural beauty, but that's not entirely true, there's another reason. I joined the Order of Athena to learn how to protect my mother and my sister, I did it more for them than for myself." He pouted, sure that this secret would've been enough.

"Ooh, that's very noble, Sir! May I ask you if you succeeded?" Rudi playfully raised an eyebrow.

"I'm proud to say yes." Roger nodded. He preferred to hide his softer side and his family matters to strangers, but his pride to have helped his mother and sister was engraved in his soul. 

Accepting that secret of his, Rudi now turned to John, eager to find out what the silent Human was hiding from everyone. 

Without losing his composure, John let out his secret in a flat voice.

"I had an older brother, but he died of illness when I was three. My parents buried him and rarely mentioned him ever since as if he never existed. I never liked that behaviour of theirs." John cut it short. It was clear he didn't want to talk about the accident that left him scarred and killed his father, and talking about that brother he had very few blurred memories about was hurting him a bit less than the responsibility of that stormy night. Even so, it hit Veronica like a bolt from the blue and she let out a loud gasp. 

"You have many secrets, wizard, do you feel this is valuable enough for me, Do-Ro? Lotsa children die of illness these days." The Gnome frowned, flipping his ponytail between his fingers. None of the adventurers liked his affirmation, grimacing at his absolute lack of empathy.

"I believe this secret is enough for you. You said _ 'the deeper it is the more value it has here in the forest' _ , I took this secret out from the deep of my mind and your ears are the first ones to hear it out loud." John said coldly, barely leaving room to reply. His teammates exchanged a worried look, getting aware to not get in an argument with him.

"It's an exclusive, hmm, I see… can be good, yes yes, Do-Ro, but I'll keep my eyes open for ya, wizard. You're sly." Rudi gave him a stare, reinforced by a gesture with his fingers from his eyes to John's, and then clapped his hands as Frederick was the next one. 

"Time for the Tiefling! I love Tieflings, they always have interesting things to say, Do-Ro!" He jumped in front of Frederick and the Tiefling chuckled.

"You're not wrong, Gnome, what can I tell you?" He theatrically tapped his lips with a gloved hand, thinking about a secret he could tell among the many ones he had.

"Technically, I'm married." He announced gleefully and all of his friends shared a confused stare thinking that he meant Jim, but also they knew somehow that Jim and Freddie weren't  _ officially _ married. 

"At least that's what my parents believe!" He added with a laugh and his friends' looks became even more confused. 

"They're so happy their noble son Farookh Haemal Kalopsia Bulsara the 3rd is married to a lovely blonde Human lady, little they know both me and my  _ 'wife' _ go around doing wrongdoings in separate ways! Well, at the moment I'm trying to become a hero with this group of amazing people, while I'm quite sure Mary is still a thief…" He casually waved a hand and Rudi let out an excited squeal, while the rest of the group was stunned at one of Freddie's absurd life experiences.

"I LOVE this one, an intriguing secret, ha! You made up for the Human's lame secret, Do-Ro!" Rudi jumped around and John tried his best to not take that as an offense, even if he was really close to landing a good kick in Rudi's stomach and Ronnie had to grab his hands to calm him down.

The Gnome now stood in front of Brian, looking at him from below.

"Last but not least… the Druid! Let's see what you got, better not disappoint me, Do-Ro."

Brian looked down and, being a bit uneasy to stand so tall compared to the Gnome, crouched down to be at his same height. 

Brian had made a difficult choice with his secret. 

He didn't like to talk about his relationship with Chrissie, as much as it was still fresh and vivid in his mind, and he didn't like to talk about his family, so he decided to let out a secret feeling that was growing stronger and he feared it would make him rot and ruin the friendships that were blossoming with his companions.

"I'm jealous of my friends." 

"What?"

Brian looked down, struggling to repeat his words.

"You heard me, I'm incredibly jealous of my friends here, all of them, because they've all found their love while I'm still hurt by the loss of mine." He ended in a whisper and everyone in the group got shaken by his confession.

"Uhh this burns. Folks, your Elf friend here is jealous of your happiness!" Rudi laughed, a cold laugh full of mockery.

"Why would you say that?" Roger asked directly to the Elf, trying to understand.

"I'm not proud of it, ok? I feel bad for being jealous, I'd never want to!" Brian stood up and raised his voice.

"It's ok, I understand." Ronnie said gently and Brian stared in her eyes, questioning.

"I felt jealous too when Roger and Dominique got together, I thought it was unfair for them to be free to love each other while John and I cannot. But I know one day everything will be alright, we'll be able to be together and you'll find your love too, Brian." She gave him a little smile and reached out to hold his hand, a reassuring gesture that moved all of them. 

Three oher hands joined theirs in support of Brian, who's always been a good friend and none of them wanted to leave him behind as much as he never left them either. 

"In the meantime, you still have us!" Frederick winked and Brian couldn't help but smile in relief.

"Thank you, guys…" He murmured, a bit overwhelmed. 

"Aww look at you adventurers being all cheesy, Do-Ro!" Rudi interrupted them, clearly annoyed for not being at the centre of the attention. 

"Ok, I must admit this was a bit disappointing and I was hoping for a fight to start, but I can accept your secret. It would've been better if you weren't all so cutesy and supportive but I can work with that, Do-Ro." Rudi's complaint made everyone roll their eyes and they exchanged a suspicious glare. 

"Well then, let's go?" He flipped his ponytail and began walking away with his tiny legs, towards the opposite side of the fairy circle ring. 

_ _

\---*---

This side of the forest was darker and more dense around the path, the sensation of being observed came back stronger and their nerves were tense like a violin's string. None of them trusted Rudi and they kept their eyes very locked on him, expecting to be tricked any moment. 

Roger was beginning to hate that tension and tried to break it by asking Freddie about his supposed wife, doing his best to not involve the Gnome in their chat by walking a bit further behind him.

"Mary? Oh, she's just a girl I met on my way a while ago." The Tiefling waved his hand casually, but with a smile on his lips. 

"As I said she's a thief, a rogue, and she tried to trick me to steal some money but I counter-tricked her back, so we became friends. But she's really not my type, our marriage was just to keep my parents quiet about extending our family and put some gold in her pockets… maybe she liked me, but I have much different tastes." He winked and Roger held a laugh, it was evident that Freddie had different tastes, given how far Jim was from being a Human blonde girl. 

Meanwhile John had fully gained back his focus after the previous night and morning's misadventures, and the gears started turning in his brain analysing what happened. 

His friends had seen his scars. 

His friends had seen his scars while he was at his worst.

They heard him calling his father and talking in a feverish delirium, and even if Ronnie just told them he got struck by a thunder for sure they had many questions about what he said.

A strong nausea twisted his guts like the storm had done and he felt a headache beating his brain, trapped in a whirlwind of negative thoughts. 

"John, are you ok?" Ronnie looked worriedly at him and he shook his head, hiding his face with his hair. Dragging her in that whirlwind was the last thing he wanted to.

"Yeah, I… just need a moment alone, sorry." He slowed his pace until he was at the back of the line and even a bit further behind. His silent nod at Veronica meant that he was there and wasn't going to get lost, but it didn't reassure her that much.

"Is John sick again?" Freddie whispered quietly to the cleric, getting a bit worried as well.

"No, he said he needs a moment for himself." She explained. "I don't know if it's because you saw his scars yesterday or because of what he said about his brother… I didn't know about that either." She murmured, still trying to deal with that new secret about John. She had so many questions, but Rudi's presence was an extra pair of ears that wasn't meant to hear any more of their personal troubles. 

Freddie noticed the Gnome was suspiciously quiet and he thought he was probably tensing his ears to listen, so he tried to switch the conversation a little.

"Oh, I understand… You've been amazing, by the way, I've never seen anyone enduring so much a healing spell." His compliment was genuine and caught Ronnie by surprise, but he also talked out loud as to be heard on purpose. 

"Thanks, I'm… uh, I guess I'm good at keeping spells for a long time at a lower energy, at the convent I realised it was more beneficial to the patients…" 

While she talked, Frederick made some weird gestures to tell her to start a conversation with Rudi. That was unclear at first, but as soon as the Tiefling slowed down his pace to meet John behind the line, she understood his clever plan and began to distract the Gnome. She knew John was in good hands.

"Rudi! How long have you been here?" She chirped loudly, confusing Roger and Brian a little, but when they glanced at the duo behind them they both got what was going on and played the game, trapping Rudi.

John was staring at the ground, lost in his thoughts while his arms were gripped around his torso, the idea of having shown his scars to the rest of the group was hammering in his head and he barely noticed Frederick walking at his side.

"Hey Deaky."

"Hey." His reply was quick and he hoped it was enough to send the warlock away. Unluckily to him, Freddie needed more than that to go away.

"I wouldn't disturb you but I sense you're having some troubles in that Human head of yours and I'm quite sure it's related to the whole group." He spoke at low volume but never lost his energy.

"Might be." John cut off, aware that he had to surrender and engage a conversation. 

A serious shade passed on Frederick's face as he stood next to him, staring directly in his eyes. By the way John circled his hand on his chest it was immediately clear what was the matter.

"Listen, Deaky… John. We all promised to keep what we saw in that room well locked in there and never talk about it again. You were sick, hurt, and seeking for comfort, don't blame yourself or Miss Veronica for taking off your bandages. It was what you needed." 

John tightened the grip on his bandages, sheepishly closing within himself. But Freddie's voice was soothing and reassuring, he knew he wasn't lying and meant every word by heart.

"We all have our scars, on our skin and in our hearts, and not everyone wants to show them… and it's ok. I understand your need of keeping it private and I'm sure also Brian and Roger understand as well. We swore to keep our mouths shut about you and Veronica, and we promised to never ask about your scars." He friendly patted John's back.

"I'd have my memory about them wiped away if I could, if only memory related spells weren't such a pain in the ass... you get one word wrong and _boom!_ no memory at all, what a scam." Freddie's little joke hit the spot and John let out a small laugh, finally feeling a weight being lifted from his chest.

"Do you really mean it?" He asked with a shy smile.

"Of course darling, we're your mates now and we should watch each other's back. I may be an asshole, but once you get me as a friend my shoulder is always here." Freddie showed his pointy teeth in a proud smile and John nodded, feeling less lonely than ever as he looked at the rest of the group in front of them.

"Thank you, Frederick."

"Shall we join the others? I hope Veronica has found something interesting about our guide." The Tiefling quickened his pace and John followed him soon after, his heart fluttering as Ronnie glanced back at him and gave him a radiant smile.

"Here you are!" She grinned and took his hand. "Rudi was just telling this area of the forest is full of rare fauna!" 

"You can say that, princess!" The Gnome laughed, apparently he didn't notice two people detaching from the group and was bragging about his knowledge of the forest, also tingling Brian's interest.

The woods around them were turning from bright green to a magical teal with blue tones on the undergrowth, and the trees' shapes were now even more twisted and serpentine than before. Oddly enough, the temperature seemed a bit higher than before and the sounds of rustling creatures and birds in the whereabouts were louder. 

The travellers proceeded walking closer to each other, looking around.

"Please don't tell me another storm is about to begin…" Roger whined quietly, he didn't like changes of atmosphere like this. 

"I don't feel anything at the moment." John observed, sighing in relief.

"Another storm, Do-Ro? What do you mean 'another'?" The Gnome questioned and they all shared a look. 

"An awful thunderstorm caught us by surprise yesterday! That's why we got in the castle: to find shelter!" Brian explained and Rudi pouted his lips, thinking.

"Ohh weird, I don't recall any storm yesterday, but this forest is so big and sometimes just does what it wants. Once I've rescued some fellas who told me they almost died in a fire and had their clothes all burned, but then the forest healed itself. It was just a scare, I doubt it even happened! Do-Ro!" He bursted out in a laugh as if almost killing some adventurers was a fun hobby and not a real threat. 

"I felt it being very real." Roger commented and John agreed with a snort.

"Maybe! Now shut up, look!" Rudi stopped them all and pointed to a far place in the forest, telling them to squat down to not be seen.

Quietly eating some flowers, a unicorn was standing far from them but very well visible, shining among the forest's shadows. It didn't notice the adventurers and kept browsing while they were all hypnotized by that magical sight.

"That's a silver unicorn…" Brian whispered. "I've seen one many years ago, but sadly it had been killed by some poachers. They're very rare..." 

They all nodded, the Elf was the only one who had the luck to see a Unicorn among them but it was a mesmerising event also for him. 

The sight of that creature was breathtaking, its body was of a sharp grey and slightly glittering while its mane and tail were made of silver feathers, reflecting the forest's blues and greens. 

Ronnie instinctively squeezed John's hand as to be sure it wasn't a mirage, and she was used to blessed encounters. 

The magical moment ended abruptly when Rudi yelled all of a sudden.

"BOO!" At the sound the Unicorn shot his head up and ran away as quicksilver. 

"Why did you do that?!" Freddie whined loudly, almost with anger.

"He can't stay there forever! And we gotta reprise our walk, Do-Ro!" He chuckled and started walking again, leading the group through the forest.

As they kept walking, a huge bird with black and red feathers flew gliding above their heads, probably scared by Rudi's scream as well. Under its wings there was a pattern that looked like eyes watching beneath it and the tail was made by long feathers of different kinds: some black, some red, some striped black and white. 

"Was that a Phoenix?" Frederick asked in awe and Brian shook his head.

"Phoenixes are much bigger, that must be one of the so-called Birds of the Heavens…"

"Is there something you don't know, Do-Ro?" Rudi mocked him and Brian groaned.

In the forest they also met a black and white fox with a huge, weird collar made of white fur that tried to pee on Roger's boot during a quick pause, and a huge moth that resembled a skull with black and gold wings. Veronica shivered at the latter's sight, she knew skull moths were bad omens, but tried to not lower their already tired moods and kept the observation for herself.

_ _

\---*---

The sun was setting and painted the whole forest with its pink-ish light, giving a brand new sunset to the travellers. But if the colors of the forest were gorgeous, they were all tired by the long walk and Rudi never stopped bothering them in a way or another, constantly playing pranks just to tease them or trying to carve out more secrets from their exhausted heads. 

Nimvanh's magic was making them tense, worried, overthinking and nervous even more than the day before, when the storm began. Their bodies were physically drained too, much more than how they should've been.

They couldn't wait to get out but the feeling that something bad was about to happen again wasn't making them too eager to leave the forest. Even Freddie, who kept playing Rudi's game for a while, was now annoyed by the Gnome and barely talked anymore. 

Veronica soon found herself unable to leave John's hand as she also prayed to her god for some relief while her mind kept telling it was her fault if they were in this situation. 

"Well well well…" Rudi slowed down and they noticed the path ended in front of them but there was no sign of an exit, just trees.

"Did you bring us to a dead end?" Roger growled, tired and heavily pissed, and pointed one of his swords directly at Rudi's throat.

"Oh no, this is the exit door to get out from Nimvanh! I can't do much to open it though, you have to do it yourself, Do-Ro!" He replied as if it was no big deal. 

"It's been a pleasure to work with you, but now I really have to go. I wonder if we'll meet again! Bye!" Rudi laughed, gave them a theatrical bow and then vanished in a puff of green smoke, leaving all of them dumbfounded. 

"I hope we won't." John commented dryly.

"Did he just… leave us like that?!" Veronica whined, the feeling of being tricked was now stronger than ever.

"Well, now what?" Frederick asked looking at the surroundings. Behind them there was the path, in front of them there was a wall made of what seemed like plants and it seemed the exit door Rudi was talking about. Maybe it was an exit for real.

"Let me check…" Brian walked closer to the door and slid his long fingers on its surface. If it were a real plant he could've talked with it. 

Under his palm he felt its life streaming through the fibers and once again there was that unknown magic that permeated everything in the forest, impossible to understand.

"Seems like a living tree, I'll try to communicate with it." He announced to his mates before proceeding. 

They all waited holding their breaths as Brian closed his eyes and focused, a small glow coming out from his hand. Everything seemed calm and going on quite well, until the block of plants began trembling and growling, making the earth shake beneath their feet.

"Brian?!" John exclaimed and the Druid opened his eyes all of a sudden, retreating his hand and running back to his friends.

"It's a Shambling Mound! We're fucked!" He yelled in panic and the creature in front of them unveiled its real shape: a huge tree-like creature with eyes and a mouth, seemingly not happy to be awakened, and huge tree trunks as limbs, heavy and dangerous. 

"Holy shit, Brian what the-?!" Frederick's mouth flung open but he prepared to use a spell against it.

"It's not my fault, ok? This is… this dude is the exit's guardian!" 

"Apparently he doesn't want us to get out…" John added. 

"And he's got company…" Roger noticed that two other Awakened Trees appeared at the Shambling Mound's sides, a bit smaller but still aggressive and ready to tear them apart. 

Behind the group, surrounding the travellers, three small Twig Blights completed the attack. 

"Well, guess we have no other choice!" Roger drew out his swords and John nodded at Ronnie, their battle was about to begin.

Frederick attacked first, blowing his two signature Eldritch Blasts in opposite directions: one hit the huge Shambling Mound directly on its face and it let out a low growl that shook the ground, slowly stomping backwards. The other blast was aimed at one of the small Twig Blights but it managed to dodge it before running directly towards Freddie and jumping at him, scratching his arm and then running away like a maniac.

At the same time John hit another Twig Blight with a precise Firebolt, making it explode in small chippings. His joy lasted for a few seconds, then a brand new Twig Blight appeared at the other's place, leaving John shook.

"Are you joking? I just killed one of these things and another one spawned!" He warned his friends, who shared a worried look.

Veronica decided to try again the Sacred Flame that she used also against the Goblins, this time aiming at one of the Awakened Trees.  She focused a little and a magical fire exploded against the tree, hurting it deeply but also making it even angrier than before. 

Going straight to the point, Roger invoked a Searing Smite and flames ignited his longswords making them burn, then he dashed directly against the Shambling Mound. 

Roger was small and heavy, but also faster and more powerful than how the creature expected him to be, and his blades managed to slash a good portion of his arm and set the wound on fire. 

The Twig Blight that appeared in front of John did the same thing its twin did to Frederick and jumped towards the wizard, scratching his side and running away in the middle of the fight.

While Veronica dealt with one of the Awakened Trees, Brian decided to take care of the other one and casted a Frostbite against it, damaging its trunk. He knew these creatures were just guarding the woods, but at this point all Brian wanted was to escape with his friends and he didn't care about sealing a bond with this damned forest.

The other Awakened Tree tried to hit Veronica but she dodged its wooden arm right at the last second. The trunk slammed hard against the ground really close to her and she let out a whine of discomfort. 

"They're trying to kill us…" She yelped.

At her side, Freddie managed to push away another Twig Blight, even though he had no idea of which one of the three it was. 

"Yeah, totally!" He confirmed and in that exact moment the Shambling Mound attacked Roger, who was at its feet. 

Its huge arm hit the paladin pretty hard and sent him backwards, but when it tried to grapple Roger with its vines he managed to react and escape flawlessly. 

"I'm fine, don't worry!" He grinned. "I've got this!"

Who wasn't fine was Brian: the Awakened Tree he was facing had a better aim than Veronica's rival and managed to slam its arm against the slim druid, hitting hard on his shoulder. He let out a sharp cry, it wasn't broken but it still hurt a lot. 

“Brian!!!” Frederick yelled and ran to aid him, casting a Witch Bolt against the creature, but another Twig Blight jumped on his arms and made him miss the target.

Meanwhile, John joined Veronica and hit the Awakened Tree with a Lighting Lure that sent the creature backwards. Judging by the angry green light coming from its eyes it was ready to attack again, and Ronnie decided it was best to protect John with a Shield of Faith that glimmered all around the wizard. 

“Thanks, Ronnie…”

“Be careful- AH!” A Twig Blight arrived out of nowhere and tried to scratch her, but she rolled to the side and avoided its claws. 

Roger was having a direct face-to-face with the Shambling Mound now, the biggest foe perfect for his flaming swords, and he assaulted the creature without hesitation dealing it more damages and setting some more wood on fire. 

Brian was still dealing with his shoulder when a small Blight jumped on his back and managed to scratch him before jumping down again.

“Stay back, Bri!” Freddie shoved him aside before another Blight could’ve hit him with its claws. 

Their tiredness was evident to all of them, numbing their bodies and minds, and staying focused to cast spells and dodge hits was more difficult than they expected.

“They’re crazy, it’s impossible to fight the bigger ones with these little bastards jumping and scratching the hell out of everything!” The Tiefling cursed right before the Awakened Tree aimed at him and Brian at the same time with its arm, but they managed to dodge it by pure luck, rolling on the ground. 

At the same time the other Awakened Tree attacked John directly, as Veronica had predicted, and her Shield worked so fine that the wooden creature’s arm broke into pieces against the ground and it let out an ear piercing wail. 

As they dealt with the smaller foes, Roger’s battle with the Shambling Mound proceeded without a rest and the huge creature hit the paladin once again. This time its vines wrapped around him and he couldn’t dodge them, feeling the roots growing around him and beginning to crush his armor. 

Slight panic began to rise in Roger’s heart when the vines entangled all around his head and he couldn’t see nor breathe, and he tried to let out a cry of help without success.  


“Oh shit, ROGER!” John noticed the paladin grappled by the giant’s hand, but he had to get rid of the Awakened Tree first. 

He managed to kill it with another Firebolt and Freddie hit the other Tree pretty hard with a Witch Bolt that this time worked perfectly, but Brian was still dealing with his first injury and received another scratch by an annoying Twig Blight. 

“Shut your ears!” Veronica commanded and her friends obeyed, so she summoned a strong light coming from above thanks to the Word of Radiance, a spell that already saved them from the Owlbears during their first battle. 

It worked quite well, destroying all the Twig Blights and damaging the remaining Awakened Tree. Also the Shambling Mound lessened its grip on Roger, who squirmed in its hand and managed to let himself free. 

He fell on the ground and coughed a couple of times, but he didn’t seem too hurt. 

“Don’t let yourself get caught! Fuck, it doesn’t squeeze but I couldn’t breathe anyway!” He huffed, soothing his throat with a hand. 

The huge creature this time targeted the slim wizard, but the wounds inflicted by Roger’s blades and the magic Shield casted by Veronica prevented John from being hit directly. It was still powerful though and John had to crouch on his knees to not fall backwards, letting out a huff. 

The surviving Awakened Tree seemed relentless and it kept walking towards Brian and Freddie and resisted even when the druid hit him with another Frostbite. It screeched and raised its wooden arm, faking a hit towards Brian and slamming it hard on Freddie’s shoulder instead.

“You bastard!” Frederick groaned, not expecting it to hurt that bad. 

“Freddie could you, eh, throw a Fireball?” Roger asked. “More of these things are here!” 

They all turned and as Roger warned there was a new Awakened Tree and three more Twig Blights coming towards them.  Unable to do anything, two Blights jumped directly on Veronica and scratched her arm and a leg, while the Awakened Tree hit Roger with its trunk.

“If I make a Fireball explode right now we’ll _ALL_ die, ok? I'd love to, but I can’t!” Freddie whined holding his shoulder. He was reckless, but he also cared about his friends and they weren't in the conditions to escape such a big explosion.  


John rushed to aid Veronica and managed to toss away another Twig, but he noticed some more were arriving from the forest, at least a dozen. 

Being already awfully tired because of the forest’s magic was making it all worse, and when two brand new Awakened Trees joined the battlefield a stream of curses erupted from Roger’s mouth.

The paladin managed to slash an arm away from one of them and John destroyed a couple of Twig Blights while Veronica tried again with her Word of Radiance, but for every enemy they took down there was a brand new one coming from the woods while they could barely stand.

They were outnumbered, seriously outnumbered. Sure, they still had enough spells and hits to take down a few more enemies, but they seemed to spawn from every leaf and shadow.  It wasn't like with the Goblins, here they were against a whole forest who wanted to swallow them, and starting a fire to defeat the magic trees would've been a suicide for themselves. 

The huge Shambling Mound, despite the burning scars on its surface, managed to grapple Brian and hold him above the ground, its vines suffocating him and preventing him from doing any druidic magic. Freddie was facing two Awakened Trees while John was surrounded by Twig Blights jumping all over his body and confusing him.

Ronnie wasn't able enough to completely heal all of her friends all together and she began to be overwhelmed, succumbing to sheer panic.

A Twig Blight appeared behind her and slashed her back with its claws, making her fall on the ground. Looking around, everyone was struggling with too many enemies and she bit her lip. 

There was a spell in the parchments she was carrying that she knew would've been helpful right now. 

But she wasn't skilled enough to use it. 

_ _

_ "What's written in those documents is for high priests and clerics with a high level of preparation  _ _ only _ _ , Veronica, you just have to memorize them for a security reason in case the parchments get damaged or unreadable during the trip. Which we hope won't happen, but with ancient documents we can't take it for granted, understood?" _

_ "Yes Mother." _

_ "Learning those documents will also serve as a demonstration of your devotion to the convent and the Church." _

_ "Yes Mother." _

_ "You will never try to use those spells by yourself, understood?"  _

_ "Yes Mother." She confirmed once again, but a question raised in her mind. "Forgive my curiosity, ma'am, but what would happen if I used a spell?" _

_ The old woman gave her an icy stare. _

_ "Curiosity kills the cat, Veronica. Don't even try." _

_ She bowed her head in obedience.  _

_ "I won't."  _

_ _

Veronica glanced at Brian still grappled by the Shambling Mound, hanging a few inches from the ground and unable to breathe while Roger kept slashing the giant's legs and dodging the Awakened Trees. 

Her gaze wandered to John, surrounded by Twig Blights tearing his tunic and diving their tiny, sharp claws in his flesh, while Frederick was going mad at the Awakened Trees around him, aware that using a Fireball would've been a death sentence for everyone. 

She looked at the dirt under her hands and wiped away every bit of hesitation.

With her finger she traced a complex symbol she studied in the parchment, murmuring those words in a language she didn't comprehend but knew by memory and sending them to her God, praying him to spare her life and her companions', while destroying all the foes. When the symbol was complete she raised on her feet in the middle of the fight.

Her friends all glanced at her for a moment, trying to understand what she was doing, before she stomped her feet on the drawing. 

The whole battlefield got enveloped in magic all of a sudden, white streams of energy came out from the symbol like otherworldly limbs and her eyes glowed with an eerie light... 

Until it stopped.

All her friends were alive, all the wooden creatures were dead.

Ronnie managed to see them vanishing in dust, and then everything went black.

_ _

\---*---

"What the fuck did she do?!" Roger yelled at his mates while they were all running towards the end of the forest, following the main path that used to be blocked by the Shambling Mound. Just a hundred meters before the trees limit.

Brian had just transformed into a big moose with his last available spell and John was riding on his back with Ronnie unconscious in his arms. One good thing about Animal Transformation is that it made any wound in his normal shape vanish until the spell's end.

"That was a way too advanced spell, how did she even know that?!" Freddie panted, casting an Eldritch Blast in front of them to destroy some fallen trees and they literally threw themselves out of the forest, promising to not step in Nimvanh ever again. 

"She's carrying a document full of powerful spells for her Church, but she told me she couldn't use them, she's just a guarantee of them… as you said, they're all too advanced for her even if she's skilled." John explained with a knot in his throat. He glanced at the Half-Elf in his arms and hoped it wasn't too late. They had a hard time fighting those creatures and she saved them all, but at what cost?

At the other side of the forest there was a huge flat land with fields and a small city not too far, they knew it was the last city before Nolfast and it was a civilised place.

Brian had used the last bit of magic to turn into an animal and he would've needed a rest before being able to heal Veronica, so John suggested to run first to the city and look for another healer.

"That's a good idea, Freddie and I will reach you later, now go!" Roger smacked moose-Brian's butt and the Druid howled before galloping towards the village. 

_ _

\---*--- 

The city was small, well-kept but also very simple, with the inhabitants being mostly Humans and Halflings who worked in the fields all around. No wonder some of them got scared and ran away screaming when a huge black moose arrived galloping from the forest with two people on its back, desperately asking for a doctor or a healer of any kind.

An old lady finally spoke up and pointed towards a nice cottage with a garden.

“Our village’s healer lives there, he uses magic!” She smiled and Brian followed her instructions.

John jumped down from Brian’s back and cradled Ronnie in his arms while the druid regained his normal Elven appearance and followed them.

A man in his early sixties, bald and with a grey goatee, opened the door to the hurried travelers and let them in without asking too many questions, helping John to lay Veronica on a bed. 

“You come from the forest, am I right?” He asked, checking on the Half-Elf.

“Yeah…” Was all John could reply, a bit shocked by the events and most of all by Ronnie’s conditions.

“I’m Brian, he is John and the girl’s name’s Veronica, we’re also waiting for our two companions Roger and Freddie. I carried John and Veronica here but couldn’t carry everyone…” Brian explained and the doctor shook his and John’s hands. 

“Spike Edney. I’m the doctor here and I’m trained as a Cleric.” He introduced himself, then noticed the little necklace around Veronica’s neck with the symbol of a hand.

“She’s a cleric too I see… Ilmater?” 

“Yes, we’re headed to Nolfast… We met a hoard of creatures in the forest, right at the end, and she dared to use a spell that was out of her actual capabilities to save all of us.” The Elf looked at John and noticed him hiding his face with his hair, a hand on his ribs that were needing healing as well. 

Spike's hands danced delicately on Veronica's unconscious figure in search of wounds or injuries, and then silently scanned her with a magic spell.

A thick silence filled the room like molasses and John sat on a chair, holding his head in his hands and staring at nothing as the wait was consuming his guts. As Freddie said, it was very dangerous to use a high level spell without the necessary skills, and it was a miracle that Ronnie's body didn't explode with its energy.

Finally, Spike gave them a diagnosis. 

"It's nothing too bad…" He admitted, quite surprised. 

"She had an overcharge of magic and lost her senses, but seems like Ilmater has a predilection for her and didn't allow the spell's energy to hurt her too much. She'll need a few days to regain her powers back, but only a good night of sleep and some healing by myself to stand on her feet. In the meantime I'll take a look also at you and your friends, you seem in pretty bad shape." He gave them a reassuring smile and while Brian thanked him, John stood up and let out a loud sigh throwing his hands in the air in an uncontrollable relief, noticing just then for how long he'd been holding his breath.

_ _

Frederick and Roger arrived around half an hour later, walking without hurry. Spike managed to heal Brian's bad bruises on his shoulder, ribs and neck, and applied a balm on the cuts made by the Twig Blights. 

John had far more deep cuts on his skin along with a couple of bruises and a broken rib, but asked dr. Edney to not take off his bandages. The Cleric raised an eyebrow, but still gave John new bandages and the balm to apply on the cuts after he used a quick healing spell, and then left him some privacy to do it himself. His broken bone wasn’t too bad and despite a sharp pain while sitting and standing it was going to be fully healed with some more magic and rest.

"Will Veronica be alright?" Roger questioned while Spike reassessed his arm and healed his bruises. His armor saved him from the Twig Blights' scratches, but he received a good dose of hits from bigger trunks. 

"Yes, but she'll need a few days to use her magic." Spike explained Ronnie's conditions to the Dwarf and the Tiefling while the girl was deeply sleeping in her bed, and the grip in their chests vanished. 

"I can't deny her spell was spectacular." An amused Freddie commented as Spike began healing him. "At least she killed only our enemies, I should learn that instead of a basic, overkilling Fireball…" 

"Could you learn it, though?" Roger raised an eyebrow, sure that the spells in her scroll were for high leveled clerics only. 

"Nah, don't think so. But I'll look for something else as spectacular and useful as that!" The warlock chuckled. 

"Yeah but use it only when you're able to, don't forget that Veronica was supposed to be d-" Roger tried to finish the phrase with his snarky tone, but the words died in his throat as that awareness hit him hard. 

Spike saw his expression change and turn into a worried frown, the fear for his friend and delusion of his own failure darkening his eyes. Their main duty was to protect her, after all.

"You're right, Dwarf." The doctor nodded. "That was really advanced magic, if her body didn't get destroyed is simply because her God had greater plans for her, and I'm incredibly surprised by it. High level spells are not something to play with, nor is a God's trust." He finished healing Frederick and headed to the kitchen, where Brian was already preparing something for dinner. 

Right outside the room there was John, standing on the jamb, and their eyes met for a moment before Spike walked away. 

"How… how are you, mate?" Still sitting on his bed, Roger gave John a worried glance, mimicked by Frederick. 

The Human sighed, looking down. Part of him was relieved that she made it out alive. But his fear for her life and the exhaustion because of the forest were banging in his head, squeezing him in a vise of darkness. 

"I don't know."

_ _

Their dinner was unusually quiet, and even if they were starving and devoured all the food no one was in the mood to talk about their adventure in the forest or make jokes, not even Freddie and Roger. 

After dinner they went to the guests bedrooms, there were two in Spike's house with three beds each and John asked to stay with Ronnie to keep his eyes on her, and they all agreed.

He was sitting on his bed when Spike began to heal her properly, trying to ripristinate her magic flux and heal eventual damages done by the powerful spell. 

"You care about her…" The doctor raised his eyes to meet John's and gave him a soft smile. 

The Human tried to look away, but he couldn't tear his gaze away from Veronica, no matter how hard he tried. Eventually, he nodded.

"She's lucky, her God seems to have a soft spot for her and protected her body from the spell, but she shouldn't play too much with her trust, as I said to your friends. I used to be a cleric too and I know Gods can be… untrustworthy, at times. Better stay in your own range of abilities and avoid great gestures like she did." Spike's voice seemed to speak from experience, like a father warning his children about the great dangers of magic. John knew it, he had heard that same tone, he had experienced that same danger on his own skin.

"Yes, I totally agree, sir." He alleged. 

"Just call me Spike." The doctor gave him a nod and another grin, there was no need for such formalities. 

"If I may ask, what were you doing in the forest?" He asked and John tensed a little thinking at how close they were to their destination. His eyes travelled from Veronica's peaceful face to her bag and her documents.

"We come from Fanose. Frederick, Brian, Roger and myself are her bodyguards... she's got to bring some old documents to the High Priest, but we took a deviation and had to cut through the forest. The spell she used is in her bag." He explained, giving only the necessary information.

Spike sighed and an acknowledging look darkened his features.

"I see… Keep your eyes open, all of you. Ilmater is a loving God and protector of life and weaks, and this girl has a strong genuine bond with him, but the high ranks of his church aren't as good as the God they worship. They built a castle of gold to hide their rotten apples." 

He lifted his glowing hands from Veronica's body and showed his palms to John. 

"I was a cleric from another local church guided by another deity, and I know how Ilmater's church got corrupted to spread all over the land… I prefer much more to be independent, pray to my god as I feel and simply help these people with the magic I receive." Again his tone tried to be reassuring, but he didn't do anything to sugar coat the dangers of the institution. 

John remembered Veronica telling him something similar back in the library, she was aware of it but had always tried to serve her God and find her own way to communicate with him without putting her nose too deeply in the bureaucratic and political side of her church. Until she fell in love and noticed the invisible cage she was trapped in.

"We'll keep it in mind, thank you… we should be Veronica's bodyguards, but we… a good friendship is born between us, we deeply care about her." The wizard admitted, struggling a little to find the right words.

"You'll have to be more careful though." Spike chuckled to ease the mood and John gave him a defeated nod. 

"She wanted to save us… she's stronger than it seems." He whispered with a little smile, trying to hide his true feelings about her to that kind doctor who was, nonetheless, just a stranger. 

Spike nodded in agreement and slowly shut his healing spell off. 

"She's stable, just needs to sleep. I'm going to rest now, I'll leave her in your hands. Call me if you need anything, my room's next door." 

John bid Spike good night and silence fell in the room once again as he closed the door, leaving the Human and the Half-Elf alone. The wizard waited a couple of minutes before finally relaxing, a tired sigh escaping his lips.

Veronica was sleeping peacefully, her breath steady and regular and her eyebrows relaxed, as if she didn’t almost die a few hours earlier. 

Feeling all of the tiredness he collected during the day weakening his limbs, John sat on Ronnie’s bed and moved a strand of hair off her face, leaning down and leaving a delicate kiss on her forehead. He wished he could do more, as much as she’s done to heal him and make him feel safe during stormy nights, but all he could've done now was to be at her side, holding her close to his heart. 

With this wish aching in his chest, John slid under the covers, winded his arms around Veronica’s waist and let himself get lulled to sleep by her flowery scent.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry I did Rudi so dirty hahah I must warn you that his role and his personality in this story are completely made up. Rudi Dolezal was Queen's music video director in the last years and is currently writing a book, he looks like a very chill and funny dude. His appearence in this story is based on his current appearence, as well as Spike Edney's! Not sure why I gave Spike the doctor's role, but I really wanted to add him in the story and since he's Queen's (and QAL's) keyboard player I thought the doctor's role could fit.  
> I will expand some of their "secrets" in the next chapters, so don't worry if you have some questions about them! ^^  
> Now our heroes are safe and can finally have a rest before heading to Nolfast! In the next chapter Roger will write his letter to Dominique and we'll finally have some music in this story!

**Author's Note:**

> Frederick Mercury of the house Bulsara: Tiefling - lv.8 Warlock.  
> Brian Harold May: Elf - lv.7 Druid.  
> John Richard Deacon: Human - lv.6 Wizard.  
> Sir Roger Meddows Taylor: Dwarf - lv.7 Paladin.  
> Veronica: Half-Elf - lv.6 Cleric of Life.  
> (More soon)


End file.
